Ella Lei calls for stronger public–private healthcare collaboration and clearer medical talent pipeline

Speaking ahead of yesterday’s legislative session, Ella Lei urged the government to accelerate reforms in community healthcare and strengthen collaboration among the public, private, and non-profit medical sectors.

The local lawmaker warned that rising demand driven by an aging population is placing increasing pressure on infrastructure and frontline services, with “shortages of medical staff and mounting work pressure becoming increasingly evident.”

Lei highlighted that public institutions, particularly Conde S. Januário Hospital and health centers, are experiencing high patient volumes, infrastructure limitations in some facilities, and increasing pressure on staff workloads.

“As the population ages, residents’ demand for medical and rehabilitation services is increasing,” Lei said.

She emphasized that society expects the government to optimize public–private healthcare collaboration, advance community healthcare development, and strengthen long-term planning for medical personnel.

A key proposal in her pre-agenda speech called for a reassessment of the positioning of community healthcare.

Lei suggested expanding service points for chronic disease management and allocating more resources to gradually shift services – including follow-up consultations, health screenings, elderly care, and rehabilitation – into community-based institutions.

According to Lei, this approach would support a more prevention-oriented healthcare model while improving system-wide resource distribution.

She also highlighted the need to deepen collaboration among public, private, and non-profit providers and reiterated that the government should reassess the positioning of community healthcare.

Referring to facilities such as the Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (also referred to as Macao Union Medical Center), Lei noted that it still requires time to fully develop its services and cannot yet fully perform its role in specialist diversion, indicating that existing system capacity has yet to be fully utilized.

Beyond service delivery, Lei raised concerns about workforce planning.

She pointed to shortages of specialist professionals in certain fields and warned that without systematic and sustained training strategies, both service quality and the development of young healthcare workers could be affected.

“The government must grasp the current employment situation of those with medical qualifications in Macau,” Lei said, calling for forward planning of supply and demand, as well as “long-term training and upward mobility mechanisms.”

Lei also proposed encouraging experienced retired doctors and nurses to serve in community healthcare as consultants and trainers, helping transfer expertise, strengthen community services, and create a sustainable cycle of talent development.

On career development, Lei highlighted limited career pathways for young healthcare professionals, noting that some graduates face limited job opportunities, slow advancement, and restricted development space, leading to talent mismatch and attrition.

To address this issue, Lei recommended expanding roles in areas such as health inspection, health promotion, research, healthcare administration, and community health management, enabling young professionals to contribute to Macau’s broader “big health” industry and social services.

The lawmaker also urged greater participation from civil society organizations in policymaking, advocating for long-term planning and regular review mechanisms for chronic disease strategies, as well as the development of community healthcare and the “silver economy.”

“Community healthcare is a key component of Macau’s medical diversion system,” the lawmaker said. “Through proactive planning, improved collaboration, better resource allocation, and strengthened talent policies, residents can access more convenient, continuous, and higher-quality healthcare services.”