An ambulance driver, wearing protective clothing to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, is pictured after arriving at Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong on Jan 26, 2020. (PHILIP FONG / AFP)

HONG KONG - The Hospital Authority has called on healthcare staff to stay on duty and join hands to cope with the challenge of the service surge and worsening situation of the novel coronavirus.

Responding to the strike advocated by some staff members, the authority said on Sunday that it shared the same goal as its staff to safeguard the health of Hong Kong people. 

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It called on staff not to join the strike and to seek consensus through discussions, and reiterated that the strike would not be in the interest of patients and would affect public hospital services.

All hospital clusters will reduce elective surgeries and some outpatient services by about 50 percent, the authority said

The authority said it had convened the central command committee to review the services and manpower situation in various hospital clusters.

It said that all hospital clusters need to significantly adjust services to focus their manpower to maintain emergency and essential services.

All hospital clusters will reduce elective surgeries and some outpatient services by about 50 percent, the authority said.

Additionally, all specialist outpatient clinic services will be affected, while drug refill services will be arranged for follow-up patients.

General outpatient clinics will try to remain open by rearranging duty rosters and hiring part-time staff. For follow-up appointments for patients with chronic diseases, drug refill services will be arranged and consultations will be rescheduled.

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Hospitals would also reduce physiotherapy and occupational therapy outpatient services by about 50 percent, the authority said.

The authority also expressed gratitude to staff members who remained on duty to cope with the additional duties being deployed to them due to the strike.

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