Faculty of Medicine should not be a priority, Furtado says

Dr. Rui Furtado, veteran surgeon and physician

The local government’s push to establish a Faculty of Medicine has raised concerns among some health professionals. Dr. Rui Furtado, a surgeon and a physician with an extensive career and significant experience in both local public and private health sectors, has given an exclusive interview with the Times.

Furtado noted that the government has been investing great efforts to establish a local Faculty of Medicine that, in his opinion, should not be a priority.

“There is a lot of work to be done in the development of the local health sector. Some progress has been made, but I believe the government is focusing on the wrong priorities by trying to establish a Faculty of Medicine in Macau. We have significant resources just next door in Hong Kong. While it is a good thing to establish a Faculty of Medicine in Macau, it is not essential for our medical or training needs,” he said. He acknowledged that the creation of the Macau Medical Academy, for instance, had already made positive strides in advancing the sector.

Commenting on the recent inauguration of the Macau Union Hospital, Furtado described it as a “big step” for the local healthcare system.

“It’s a big step because they [the hospital management and staff] are good. In Beijing, as well as in Shanghai, there are some really good hospitals and professionals in the health field,” the same expert added.

Questioned by the Times on the use of the new medical unit for medical tourism, he said that there is a long way from just the opening of a facility to the use of its full potential.

“The opening of this hospital does not necessarily open the door to medical tourism. Medical tourism as an offering will require the hospital to deliberately direct part of their resources towards catering to medical tourism. It will need to be planned and organized by experts in the field and will take time.”