Govt Rejects Plea To Extend Chinese Medicine Cover

Civil Service Secretary Joshua Law said on Monday that Chinese medicine could one day be included in benefits provided to public servants, but only after the government opens its own facility for the traditional practice.

The CY Leung administration announced the idea of a Chinese medicine hospital in 2014 and the current government says it will unveil a plan for this by the end of the year.

Law was responding to requests from DAB lawmaker Ann Chiang and unionist councillor Ho Kai-ming during a Legco public service panel meeting to discuss civil service-related matters featured in the budget.

They also said they would like civil servants to be reimbursed if they visit any of the 18 Chinese medicine centres set up in collaboration between the Hospital Authority, NGOs and universities.

But Law said that idea is not feasible as these centres are not part of the regular services provided by the Hospital Authority.