Committee member proposes direct bus service from the Islands to Kiang Wu

Leong Meng Ian, a committee member of the Islands District Community Service Consultative Committee, has called for more convenient transportation for residents in the Islands District to the Kiang Wu Hospital in the Peninsula.

Leong noted that with the continued population growth on the islands and rising medical needs, residents urgently require convenient transportation for medical visits.

At a committee meeting on Tuesday, she proposed establishing a direct bus route to Kiang Wu Hospital, noting that current options are insufficient and too long.

“Residents must rely on the lengthy route of bus route 26, and even then, they need to walk over 200 meters after the bus ride, or endure multiple transfers with long waiting times,” she said, noting that the fact poses a burden, especially for the elderly, chronic patients, pregnant women, and those with limited mobility.

She recommended that the government use the successful experience of the H3 bus route as a reference to plan a direct bus service from the outlying islands to Kiang Wu Hospital, thereby optimizing the medical transportation network, reducing residents’ burden, enhancing quality of life, and promoting equity in medical services.

The call was partially supported by another committee member, who also recommended enhancing services at Macau Union Hospital to meet residents’ demand.

Leong claims that since the opening of the Union Hospital, the quantity of services made available has been reduced to just about 10% of the ones provided by the Conde de S. Januário Hospital Centre, and that authorities anticipate this rate to grow to just 25% by 2027, claiming that this new hospital facility does not cater enough to the residents’ needs.

Building on this, she also suggested establishing an international medical department to develop a high-end medical platform aligned with international standards. This would not only meet the diverse health needs of local residents but also provide emergency medical services and health management for tourists, supporting Macau’s development of a “medical + tourism” integration model. Ricaela Diputado