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Hong Kong protests
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Hong Kong Hospital Authority chairman urges greater powers for investigation into anti-government protests

  • Henry Fan says making it a statutory committee would help the panel call witnesses and boost its credibility
  • New chairman also reveals increase in number of overseas-trained doctors refusing jobs at city’s public hospitals, adding that he blames the recent crisis

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Anti-government unrest has rocked Hong Kong for nearly six months. Photo: Sam Tsang
Elizabeth Cheung
A panel looking into what caused the violent unrest which has gripped Hong Kong for nearly six months should be given greater powers, to boost its credibility and help its investigation, the city’s new hospitals chief has said.

Henry Fan Hung-ling, who met the media for the first time on Thursday after taking over as chairman of the Hospital Authority this week, also revealed that at least 17 overseas-trained doctors offered jobs in public hospitals this year declined the posts, adding that he believed the refusals were related to the anti-government protests.

The veteran businessman and former executive councillor said he hoped to form a task force within the authority’s board to look into the sustainability of the public health care system.

Commenting on the protests, Fan, who is the older brother of current executive councillor Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun, said he welcomed the government’s plan to form a committee to look into the underlying causes of the protests.

Veteran businessman Henry Fan joined the authority’s board in December last year. Photo: Dickson Lee
Veteran businessman Henry Fan joined the authority’s board in December last year. Photo: Dickson Lee

He said “political problems had to solved by political means,” but the committee should be formed under the Commission of Inquiry Ordinance.

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