Hong Kong could take a leading role in supporting children with autism in the Greater Bay Area, a former medical faculty dean has said, ahead of plans for a comprehensive care platform to come into operation within a year.
Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung of the Chinese University of Hong Kong said the one-stop platform would comprise professionals from the medical, education, insurance and finance sectors, among others.
The academic said that a research team from the university’s medical school and its spin-off company MicroSigX would develop a platform offering integrated services — from advising parents on screening their children for autism to supporting their learning and development.
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In an interview earlier this week, Chan announced plans for the team to attract interest from the bay area, which refers to Beijing’s initiative to integrate Hong Kong, Macau and nine mainland Chinese cities into an economic powerhouse.
Earlier this month, the university said it would launch a pilot project to screen young children for autism using a newly developed tool that tests stool samples.
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Chan said the innovation offered a foundation for the one-stop platform, envisioning the creation of a “centre of excellence” that could attract investors.