How to apply for a medical waiver

1. Seek an appointment at the desired medical facility.
2. Approach to closest Social Welfare Department office to obtain a medical waiver before you attend the medical centre. If your appointment is in the afternoon, please apply for a medical waiver on the day of your appointment in the morning. In case your appointment is in the morning, please apply for a waiver on the day before your appointment.
3. If your appointment is at the hospital or if you have been hospitalized, you should approach the Medical Social Work Unit of the hospital to obtain a medical waiver. You may ask the counter desk in the hospital to provide you the accurate directory.

If you require dental services:

All dentists in Hong Kong are private and medical fees will not be waived.

If it is a dental emergency you may try the hospital below. They only provide free or subsidized dental works that are currently in sync with their teaching schedule for the University.

You can also check with local NGOs such as Christian Action to see if they currently have any pro-bono dental service providers.

For exhaustive list please follow link:
www.ha.org.hk/visitor/ha_visitor_index.asp?Content_ID=10084&Lang
=ENG&Dimension=100&Parent_ID=10042

HIV/AIDS Services for Refugees and Protection Claimants in Hong Kong

If you are unsure, suspect or know that you are HIV positive there are some helpful services in Hong Kong that you can access as a refugee or protection claimant.
These services include:

• Free testing and counselling
• Free condoms
• Access to, and fee waiving of, antiretroviral medications and treatment
• Social support services

All services can maintain anonymity at request. They also operate with sensitivity to the privacy and delicate nature of testing and treating HIV. Given the delayed incubation period of the virus you may be requested to return to the testing facility 3 months after the original test to check if your HIV status has changed in the meantime. For testing services you will need to call the facility’s hotline number in advance to make an appointment. Currently there are no drop-in testing services in Hong Kong.

This page provides you with some information of the services available to you in Hong Kong.

For additional information please visit: http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/english/

1. If you do not know whether you are HIV positive and want to be tested, you can visit the following non-governmental testing services:

1(a): The Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention (SRACP)

Services include:

• Free confidential anonymous voluntary counselling testing service for HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis C
• In-person counselling
• Free condoms

Address: 2/F, 402-404 Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon (Nearest MTR station: Yau Ma Tei, Exit A1)
Appointment Hotline: (+852) 6604 4700
www.sracp.org.hk/en/index.html

1(b): Hong Kong AIDS Foundation

Services include:

• Rapid free confidential and anonymous testing for HIV
• Free condoms
• Support services for people living with HIV (PLHIV)

Address: 5/F Shaukeiwan Jockey Club Clinic, 8, Chai Wan Road, Shaukeiwan, Hong Kong Island (Nearest MTR station: Shaukeiwan, Exit A3)
AIDS Helpline: (+852) 2513 0513
www.aids.org.hk/en/index.html

Note: Please be aware that if you suspect that you might have contracted HIV and your first results are HIV negative you will be requested to return to both testing facilities three months later to allow for the incubation period to advance.

2. If you already know that you are HIV positive and need to access Hong Kong Government supported anti-retroviral therapy medications.

2(a): To receive free HIV treatment from the Hong Kong Government you must be registered under the USM system and provide associated documentation.
2(b): When approaching the Treatment Centre please bring any personal HIV documents or medication with you to the appointment.
2(b): You will need to visit the following governmental HIV testing facilities in order to obtain a test result and referral for medication.

Virtual AIDS Office Hong Kong
How to access their services:

• Call to make appointment – you will be given a reference number for anonymity - you do not have to provide your real name.
• Clinic: 1st Floor, Special Preventive Program
• Rapid-test: 1 hour – Blood sample taken from fingertips
• Preliminary results available in 20 minutes
• Clinic will call you with final results in 10 days
• Window period (for accuracy): 3 months prior
• Referral to HIV medical clinic for comprehensive testing and treatment if necessary
• Bring Recognizance document to apply for medical waiver

Integrated Treatment Centre
Address: 8/F & 9/F, Kowloon Bay Health Centre, 9 Kai Yan Street, Kowloon Bay
Phone: (+852) 2116 2888 / (+852) 2780 2211

IMPORTANT: To receive free HIV treatment from the Hong Kong Government you must be registered under the USM system and provide associated documentation.

When approaching the Treatment Centre please bring any personal HIV documents or medication with you to the appointment.