The healthcare industry will be one of the most promising fields in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong leaders said on Friday.

The remarks came as Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung Kin-chung and convener of the chief executive's top advisory body - the Executive Council - Bernard Charnwut Chan delivered speeches at a Bay Area youth development forum.

One of Hong Kong’s key advantages – its high-quality medical system – will create great opportunities for cooperation within the Bay Area, Cheung noted.

The special administrative region government hopes the healthcare industry will extend its influence to other Bay Area cities, the city’s No 2 official said.

Hong Kong’s world-class medical services are able to serve the whole region, Cheung stressed. He added that the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital (HKU-SZH) in Shenzhen, Guangdong province was the “best model”.

Opened to the public in 2012, the HKU-SZH runs under the management model of the University of Hong Kong. The hospital introduced areas where Hong Kong excels - including hospital management, medical technology and clinics.

Eligible Hong Kong patients can use healthcare vouchers – the annual voucher provided to the elderly people aged 65 or above - for fees at outpatient services provided by designated clinics in the HKU-SZH under a SAR government pilot scheme.

The HKU-SZH provides a fine example of medical cooperation between Hong Kong and other cities within the Bay Area, Cheung added.

Echoing Cheung, Chan predicts the healthcare industry, especially for the elderly people, will go far in the Bay Area.

Although Hong Kong has the world-leading healthcare service, the shortage of public medical service quotas and the growing aging population are a serious challenge, Chan noted.

According to Hong Kong population projections for 2017-2066 released in 2017, the city’s elderly people aged 65 and above could more than double in the coming 20 years, from 1.16 million (16.6 percent of the total population) in 2016 to 2.37 million (31.1 percent) in 2036.

Because of issues arising from the growing aging problem, healthcare services for the seniors in the Bay Area is a great business opportunity for young people, Chan said.

Meanwhile, Chan warned that young entrepreneurs should be prepared for inevitable failures as startup businesses involved in the medical and healthcare industry always have risks.

kathyzhang@chinadailyhk.com