The Health Bureau (SSM) held a “Macau Medical Forum 2025 & Family Medicine Training Base Inauguration Base” on Saturday, aiming to contribute to building a “Blissful Macau”, according to an SSM statement.
The ceremony was held at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex in Nam Van on Saturday morning.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam noted in a speech during the ceremony that during his inspection visit to Macau in December last year, President Xi Jinping praised Macau’s healthcare development. Family medicine serves as the cornerstone of primary care and is pivotal to achieving the goal of ensuring healthcare for the whole population, she said.
The establishment and launch of the family medicine training base marks a new phase in Macau’s healthcare advancement , reflecting the government’s comprehensive strategy in achieving medical talent cultivation, aiming to build a “Healthy Macau”, and enhancing regional collaboration in the area of healthcare, O said.
O also said that the initiative would strengthen the government’s community-focused primary care network, shift the focus towards preventive healthcare, and leverage Macau’s unique strengths under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle to integrate Greater Bay Area (GBA) resources, fostering regional synergy in medical innovation and resource complementarity. Ultimately, O said, the initiative will contribute to high-quality development in healthcare for both Macau and the GBA, of which Macau is a member.
World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA) President Karen Flegg pointed out that the world is currently off track to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. Prof. Flegg added that experts recommend reorientating health systems towards primary health care as the foundation of achieving the UHC objective. In this context, Macau’s establishment of the ‘Family Medicine Training Base’ holds significant importance for advancing family medicine development, she said.
The SSM statement said that the forum was conducted simultaneously across two venues, covering topics including family medicine, chronic disease management, AI in medicine, and diagnosis or treatment of rare diseases. It featured keynote speeches by numerous medical experts from the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Macau, who shared cutting-edge medical knowledge and practical experience with the attendees. The one-day event also fostered vibrant interactive exchanges and discussions on both academic and clinical practice aspects, the statement said.
Training base aims to enhance mental health awareness & resilience: 3 bureaus says
Meanwhile, the Social Welfare Bureau said in a statement that the Health Bureau (SSM), Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) and Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) co-hosted on Saturday the opening ceremony for “Mental and Physical Health Support Training Base”, aiming to enhance societal awareness and resilience in mental health.
The ceremony was held on Saturday at the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) lecture hall.
Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai said in a speech that the government prioritises residents’ physical and mental well-being. The establishment of the training base will further extend resources into local communities, delivering essential health knowledge to grassroots levels, he said. Through community-based programmes, residents will learn to recognise emotional signals, achieving the Social Welfare Bureau’s ‘Early Detection, Early Care, Early Support’ objectives, Hon said.
Hon called upon all sectors of civil society to sustain their attention and support for mental and physical well-being initiatives. “Let us jointly foster a social environment rooted in understanding, inclusiveness, and compassion, working together to build a harmonious and thriving Macau,” the statement quoted Hon as saying.
The statement pointed out that the mental and physical training base consists of around 100 professionals who have joined the programme. Upon completing the training, these professionals will serve as instructors, conducting community outreach across Macau to promote essential knowledge of physical and mental well-being, the statement concluded.
World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA) President Prof. Karen Flegg delivers a speech by video link during the opening ceremony of the Macau Medical Forum 2025 & Inauguration Ceremony of the Family Medicine Training Base, at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform (Forum Macao) Complex in Nam Van on Saturday morning.
Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) President Wilson Hon Wai (centre), Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long (left) and Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) Director Kong Chi Meng pose during Saturday afternoon’s opening ceremony of their “Mental and Physical Health Support Training Base” event at the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) lecture hall. – Photos: GCS
