The Health Bureau of Hong Kong is exploring the inclusion of services from the city's first Chinese medicine hospital in the voluntary health insurance scheme (VHIS), set to open next year. Both the government and insurance sectors are engaged in discussions to ensure proper coverage and compensation details are established. Legislator Chan Wing-kwong emphasized the need for equal treatment of both Chinese and Western medicine in insurance policies, noting comparable service costs. The VHIS, launched in 2019, aims to alleviate pressure on public healthcare by providing regulated insurance options and currently has over 1.2 million policies. Meanwhile, in India, health officials reported a significant shortage of doctors in Goa, prompting plans to hire specialists from other states and allow private doctors to operate in government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. This initiative aims to enhance healthcare accessibility in underserved areas.