The government announced yesterday that its first “tea-break” community session for officials under the Social Affairs and Culture portfolio to directly engage in conversations with residents will be held tonight.
Yesterday’s announcement came after Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Wallis O Lam told lawmakers in November last year about the government’s plan to host “tea-break” sessions in different neighbourhoods regularly from 2026 where bureau directors under her portfolio will directly engage in exchange and communication with residents to gather their opinions and answer their questions.
The inaugural “tea-break” session, to be held tonight, was announced by the Health Bureau (SSM) in a statement yesterday as it will be about the city’s public healthcare services.
The statement said that the government decided to launch its regular community exchange activity, starting from January 2026, in compliance with its people-centred governance approach and its strategy of staying close to residents’ daily lives while listening to public opinion. The new initiative is officially known as “Tea Break: Dialogue on the Social Affairs and Culture Portfolio”.
The new initiative aims to establish a regular and direct community dialogue platform, allowing residents to more directly express their views on policies and services provided by public entities under the Social Affairs and Culture portfolio, the statement said.
The inaugural “tea-break” session, according to the statement, will be held in the meeting room on the second floor of the Ilha Verde Health Centre from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. today.
Themed “Health Promotion, Downward Allocation of [Healthcare] Resources*, and Early Disease Intervention”, tonight’s session will be attended by officials under the Social Affairs and Culture portfolio, who will engage in direct exchanges with participating residents, the statement said.
Due to limited seating, the statement said, residents wishing to attend tonight’s session are encouraged to sign up in advance during office hours by calling 8597 6178 or 8597 6498, or by emailing gct@ssm.gov.mo, in order to “facilitate event arrangements”.
*The concept refers to the process of distributing healthcare resources and funding from higher levels of authority (such as government or central health agencies) to lower levels (such as local hospitals, clinics, or community health programs). This approach aims to ensure that resources are effectively utilised at the grassroots level, addressing specific local needs and improving access to healthcare services for the population. – DeepSeek
This undated handout photo downloaded from the Health Bureau’s (SSM) website yesterday shows its Ilha Verde Health Centre.
