The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) announced today (April 30) that the service contracts for the operation of "District Health Centre (DHC) Express" in 11 districts (namely Central and Western District, Wan Chai District, Eastern District, Yau Tsim Mong District, Kowloon City District, Kwun Tong District, North District, Tai Po District, Sai Kung District, Sha Tin District and Islands District) have been awarded to the following non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through an invitation for proposals. A total sum of $596 million in non-recurrent expenditure will be involved in the implementation of "DHC Express" in the 11 districts over three years.
| Districts | NGOs to operate DHC Express |
|---|---|
| Central and Western | The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation |
| Wan Chai | Methodist Centre |
| Eastern | The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation |
| Yau Tsim Mong | The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon |
| Kowloon City | The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon |
| Kwun Tong | United Christian Medical Service |
| North | Hong Kong Young Women's Christian Association |
| Tai Po | United Christian Medical Service |
| Sai Kung | Haven of Hope Christian Service |
| Sha Tin | The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation |
| Islands | The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council |
"DHC Express" will provide prevention-focused primary healthcare services on different levels, including health promotion and education, health risk factor assessment and chronic disease management. Apart from serving as a district health resource hub that links different service providers of various aspects of primary healthcare services in the community, "DHC Express" will also leverage on a private healthcare network in the community to enable members of the public to receive the necessary care and services when needed.
Operators of "DHC Express" are required to identify suitable premises for a core centre as their primary service site. "DHC Express" in the various districts is targeted to commence services in the fourth quarter this year.
The Government is funding NGOs to provide focused primary healthcare services in an interim arrangement in the above 11 districts, with a view to laying a foundation for the establishment of a prevention-focused primary healthcare system. The Government is working in parallel to take forward the works projects for the permanent sites of District Health Centres (DHCs) in all districts. Services of "DHC Express" will be migrated as appropriate to the DHCs of the respective districts in due course.
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