An elderly resident asked Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to increase social welfare resources during his visit to Un Chau Estate in Cheung Sha Wan on August 26, saying the centre did not have enough funding and residents had to contribute several hundred Hong Kong dollars a month to join activities.
Lee arrived at about 2.30pm for the Sham Shui Po community visit, where he met residents and examined grassroots healthcare and services for older people.
He first visited residents at Yuansheng House, including an 88-year-old woman, before going to an elderly service facility in the estate. Reports used different descriptions for the venue, including an elderly centre and the Un Chau Estate Baptist Church Kei Lok Centre, and did not establish whether these referred to one or several locations.
At the facility, Lee was briefed on activities for older people and day medical services. Star Headline reported that he referred on social media to a resident who had been hospitalised with pneumonia and later returned to the centre for a chest X-ray follow-up.
Lee also spoke with residents, older people and students about elderly health, exercise, learning, primary healthcare and community support, and posed for photographs.
At a community sports activity booth, he tried a smart exercise bicycle. Lee said he would like to exercise on weekdays but had less time because of work.
The officials reported to have accompanied him included Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-chuen, Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau and Sham Shui Po District Officer Wong Ho-yum. RTHK also reported that Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong accompanied Lee during different parts of the itinerary.
The reports did not say whether Lee made a specific commitment in response to the request for more welfare resources. RTHK separately reported that he later visited the 1823 contact centre to learn how artificial intelligence was being used to speed up the handling of public enquiries; other reports in the supplied coverage did not mention that stop.