Gov’t insists a health center suitable for Zone A

Despite many calling for a higher-tier healthcare facility in the New Urban Zone A, the planning entities have insisted a health center would be sufficient.

At the first public consultation session regarding specific planning of the New Urban Zone A, the availability of healthcare services was raised as an issue once again.

A participant recalled the government’s plan to house nearly 100,000 people on the reclaimed land and questioned whether a mere health center would be sufficient. A health center is on the ‘community’ care level in the city’s healthcare hierarchy. Years ago, a member of the public who sought medical support at a health center after a minor traffic accident was told to call an ambulance instead.

In response to the question, Mak Tat Io, deputy director of the Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU), said the hospital development was a major project for a city. The Health Bureau (SSM) insisted the public hospital on the Guia Hill would have capacity to meet the medical needs of all residents on the Macau Peninsula, adding that an expansion project is underway.

“The SSM thinks the public hospital is enough for the Macau Peninsula,” Mak said.

According to the government’s statistical body, the city had about 550,000 people in 2010 and nearly 700,000 in 2021. It is expected the Islands Hospital will be opened in a year or two.

Another participant expressed concerns over the development of underground shopping malls at the Zone A. The government has made plans to develop such facilities in the area as complementary facilities for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) East Line.

The participant cited precedents in Montreal, Canada and Tokyo, Japan to show such projects were usually easier said than done. It took the Canadians half a century to complete a similar project, while the Japanese made specific laws to support the development.

Chan Wa Keong, an official at the Housing Bureau (IH), said the government has not made up its mind on the development, but invited the public to provide more comments for the government to consider.

Meanwhile, at another event, Cultural Affairs Bureau’s (IC) President Leong Wai Man said the Macao Museum of Art (MAM) may be relocated to the southside of the Zone A. A community library will also be built at the Zone A and will occupy about 2,000 square meters.

Despite the opposing comments from a local librarian association, which called for a large and standalone library, the IC president insisted Zone A needs a community library rather than a major library.

Leong said two larger plots of land located on the southside of the Zone A had been reserved for urban cultural facilities. The cultural bureau is contemplating using them temporarily for museums or performance venues. No timetable or specific steps have been established so far.

While explaining the masterplan, the IC president mentioned the relocation of the MAM to Zone A. She expects this to be able to provide higher quality exhibitions and spaces for relics from the Palace Museum in Beijing and larger-scale exhibitions from abroad.

On whether the expulsion of Taiwanese HyRead from the public library’s free-of-charge e-reading platform was driven by political or geographical concerns, Leong declined to comment.