Funding cuts trigger calls for help on jobs from Hong Kong’s physiotherapists

The Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association (HKPA), representing about 1,900 members, has issued a stark warning to the government about a severe and growing employment crisis in the sector. In a letter to Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau, HKPA President Alexander Woo Chuen-hau highlighted a troubling paradox: substantial public investment continues to subsidize the training of physiotherapists to meet documented healthcare needs, yet simultaneous budget cuts are preventing their deployment. Specifically, 179 social welfare organizations—key employers in the sector—are facing funding reductions of 3 to 7 percent by the 2027-28 financial year. These cuts have already triggered hiring freezes and job losses at NGOs, even as demand for physiotherapy services escalates.

The association projects that if current trends continue, the surplus of trained but unemployed physiotherapists will exceed 2,000 by 2040. This forecast underscores a critical misalignment in health manpower policy, where resource-efficient training is undermined by constraints on service delivery. The HKPA's call to action, following a manpower forum held on February 28, demands urgent government intervention to expand public-sector employment opportunities and align funding with the strategic need for these skilled professionals. The situation presents a significant policy failure, risking the waste of a highly skilled workforce precisely when Hong Kong's aging population needs it most.