Central District Community Service Consultative Council members voiced their concern about local medical workers and vaccination issues during a regular meeting of the government-appointed body at the Activity Centre of the Patane Municipal Market yesterday.
One of the council members, Lei Chong In, pointed out that Macau is lacking medical schools to provide education for potential medical workers. He pointed out that especially when Macau is experiencing a pandemic, while having an ageing population, a large number of medical workers would be needed. He added that in order to improve the health care system and develop the related fields, the city should attract locals who studied Medicine outside Macau by providing better offers. He also underlined that the public hospital complex in Cotai will be opening soon, adding that the government should focus on attracting non-local talents in order to potentially become a medical tourism destination.
Another council member, Chan Ngoi Chon, noted that Macau has hundreds of medical students [enrolled in medical schools all over the world] and a number of potential dietitians. He pointed out that in a few years Macau could expect a new wave of students who could work in health care, therefore, Chan urged the government to improve its training system.
Chan said that the upcoming public hospital complex will have help from the mainland, so the government should seize the opportunity to arrange on-site training for the new graduates. He also said that the government should come up with a plan that ensures that the courses and training programmes would satisfy Macau’s specific medical needs.
Meanwhile, Lam Cheok Kai, a fellow council member, said that the government should consider lowering the age limit for vaccinating against COVID-19. He pointed out that authorities in Guangdong have been vaccinating children aged between three and 11. Therefore, he urged the local government to consider allowing children in the same age range to be vaccinated as well, as this would increase Macau’s vaccination rate, while achieving herd immunity.
Council member Huang Chengbin expressed concern about a similar topic by deploring that the inoculation rate for senior citizens has been decreasing. He pointed out that after talking to senior citizens, he discovered that they usually worry about the side effects, don’t know how to book a vaccination, or are concerned about the effectiveness of the jabs. He urged the government to advertise the advantages of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and convey the correct information about the jabs at places where senior citizens usually gather, as well as on TV and radio.
