The School of Chinese Medicine recently commissioned the Centre for Communication and Public Opinion Survey of The Chinese University of Hong Kong to conduct a survey on public perception towards Chinese medicine services in Hong Kong. The result was jointly released at a media session today (12 April), revealing that 81 per cent of the respondents agreed that Hong Kong needs a Chinese medicine hospital for training local Chinese medicine practitioners. A total of 79.8 per cent of interviewees were in favour of the setting up of a Chinese medicine hospital with teaching functions in Hong Kong and 78.6 per cent believed that the establishment of such a hospital could enhance the quality of local Chinese medicine education.

The survey was conducted from 4-8 March this year through random telephone interviews to gauge public views on Chinese medicine services, the establishment of a Chinese medicine hospital and the establishment of a Chinese medicine hospital with teaching functions in Hong Kong. A total of 1,013 Hong Kong residents aged 18-64 were successfully interviewed.

Since in-patient services in Chinese medicine are currently not provided in Hong Kong, 43.5 per cent saw the need for the provision of such services, 38.9 per cent remained indifferent whereas 15.5 per cent held contrary views. A total of 76.4 per cent supported building a Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong which provides both out-patient and in-patient services and 76 per cent believed the establishment of a Chinese medicine hospital could further enhance the quality of Chinese medicine services in Hong Kong.

A total of 60.3 per cent of the respondents indicated that if a Chinese medicine hospital with teaching functions is set up in Hong Kong, they would be willing to use the in-patient services of this hospital when they fall ill while 7.4 per cent were against using it. A total of 36.6 per cent of interviewees opined that a Chinese medicine hospital with teaching functions should be located in the vicinity of a university, 39.3 per cent held general views whereas 21.9 per cent did not believe such a hospital needed to be located in the vicinity of a university.

Regarding Chinese medicine services in Hong Kong, 34.7 per cent of the respondents considered the current Chinese medicine services adequate, 44.5 per cent remained neutral and 13 per cent considered them to be inadequate. Among the respondents, 54 per cent have had Chinese medicine consultations in the past two years.

Professor Lu Aiping, Dean of the School of Chinese Medicine, said: “The findings of the survey are very useful in reflecting public opinion on the overall state of Chinese medicine services in Hong Kong and serves as an important indicator of the need for the establishment of a Chinese medicine teaching hospital in Hong Kong. The survey results will be later submitted to the Town Planning Board and Government departments concerned for their reference.” Professor Lu hoped that the Government would seriously consider HKBU’s proposal of establishing a Chinese medicine teaching hospital to serve as a base for clinical teaching and learning, clinical internship and clinical research as the proposed hospital would enhance the local Chinese medicine education and further advance the development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.