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Healthcare in Hong Kong is world class. Both public and private hospitals are equipped with the latest medical technology operated by highly trained medical staff, many of whom speak good English.
Hong Kong also has some of the world’s highest healthcare costs, so you should arrange adequate insurance cover before you arrive.
Public healthcare in Hong Kong
The Hospital Authority (HA) runs public healthcare in Hong Kong, and the standard of care is generally high. It manages the city’s public hospitals and also provides rehabilitation and traditional Chinese medicine services.
Hong Kong’s public healthcare facilities are excellent, but waits can be long and the service impersonal. Anyone with a Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID) qualifies for subsidised rates, and that includes most expats once they hold a work or dependant visa. Without an HKID, you can still be treated, but you pay the higher non-resident rates. For non-emergency care, you usually need to book in advance.
Private healthcare in Hong Kong
Most expats rely on private healthcare in Hong Kong, and the city has around a dozen internationally accredited private hospitals. People choose private care for shorter waits, more privacy, comfortable rooms, and readily available English-speaking staff.
You’ll pay a little more than public sector rates at most private hospitals, and far more for luxury services. Either way, arrange health insurance to cover the cost.
Health insurance in Hong Kong
Anyone moving to the city should sort out their health insurance in Hong Kong early on. With an HKID, you qualify for subsidised public rates; without one, you pay market rates close to private-sector prices, which quickly gets expensive.
Many employers fold health cover into the contract, so check exactly what a scheme includes and try to negotiate a healthcare allowance into your package. If you are arranging cover yourself, you can choose from a wide range of providers, but compare quotes before you commit. Hong Kong also runs the Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS), a government-certified framework whose standardised plans can qualify for a tax deduction, so weigh these up alongside the rest.
Useful links
Hospitals in Hong Kong
Canossa Hospital
Website: www.canossahospital.org.hk
Address: 1 Old Peak Road, Hong Kong
Matilda International Hospital
Website: www.matilda.org
Address: 41 Mount Kellett Road, The Peak, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital
Website: www.hksh hospital.com
Address: 2 Village Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Pharmacies and medication in Hong Kong
Most neighbourhoods have a well-stocked pharmacy or two, so finding pharmacies and medication in Hong Kong is rarely difficult. Many open seven days a week, and some are open around the clock. You can spot a registered pharmacy by the ‘Rx’ logo and the words ‘Pharmacy’ or ‘Dispensary’, and it will have a pharmacist on duty. The big chains, Watsons and Mannings, fit this description and have branches all over the city.
Separate medicine shops sell everyday painkillers and cold-and-flu remedies, but they don’t have a pharmacist and can’t hand out prescription drugs. For a few medicines you’d buy over the counter at home, you’ll need a prescription here; antibiotics, for instance, are prescription only. A pharmacist can still supply many other drugs without a doctor’s visit.
Useful links
Health hazards in Hong Kong
Air pollution is the main health hazard in Hong Kong. Despite government efforts, air quality is still below international benchmarks, and expats with asthma or other chronic respiratory conditions often find their symptoms flare up.
The people most affected are children, older adults, people with heart or lung conditions, and anyone with a weakened immune system. Even healthy newcomers may notice irritation in the eyes, nose, throat, or chest. Most healthy people exposed to poor air for a short spell come away with no lasting harm.
Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya are mosquito-borne risks, although the chance of catching either in urban Hong Kong is low. Protect yourself from mosquito bites, especially if you head into rural areas or nearby parts of mainland China.
Vaccinations for Hong Kong
No vaccinations are required to enter Hong Kong under normal circumstances, but you should keep routine jabs up to date before you go. These include the standard cover for influenza, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), tetanus, and chickenpox. Typhoid can spread through contaminated food and water, so a typhoid vaccine is a sensible precaution for a longer stay. Depending on your plans, a travel clinic may also suggest:
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Polio
- Rabies
Useful links
Emergency medical services in Hong Kong
Dial 999 (112 on mobile) for an ambulance, the police, or the fire brigade. The Fire Services Department runs the ambulance service, and it is free for everyone, residents and visitors alike.
Ambulances take patients to the nearest public hospital’s accident and emergency (A&E) department, so that is where serious emergencies are handled. Most private hospitals don’t run a full A&E, so for anything life threatening, the public system is your first port of call, whatever cover you have.