The Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement on Tuesday that the private Kiang Wu Hospital (KW), public Conde de Sao Januario Hospital Centre (CHCSJ) and public-private partnership Macau Medical Centre of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) officially commenced preparatory work for the process of launching locally the Certified International Hospital Accreditation (CIHA), aiming to implement the overall goals and indicators set out in the “Healthy Macau Action Plan” and further optimise Macau’s healthcare service system.
The Certified International Hospital Accreditation (CIHA) is China’s first hospital accreditation standard to receive international certification.
SSM Director Lo Iek Long said that the public hospital took the lead in preparatory work, aiming to pass the accreditation next year, adding that, PUMCH and Kiang Wu Hospital (KW) will also initiate this accreditation procedure, according to the statement.
Dr Lo pointed out that participation in this accreditation procedure holds significance in three aspects; (1) enhancing the quality and safety of healthcare for residents based on an internationally recognised standard developed by the nation; (2) promoting the homogenised development of local medical institutions with those in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), further integrating Macau into the national development landscape; (3) leveraging Macau’s “One Country, Two Systems” advantage and close ties with Portuguese-speaking countries, the statement said.
Dr Lo noted that the hospital CIHA accreditation is an important means of enhancing medical quality and ensuring patient safety, which has been developed by the Shenzhen Hospital Accreditation Research Centre and been certified by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua), making it the first nationally developed hospital accreditation standard to receive international recognition.
The statement added that the participation of CHCSJ, PUMCH, and private Kiang Wu Hospital in this accreditation procedure fully demonstrates the determination of local medical institutions to actively integrate into the national development strategy, and their commitment to pursuing high-quality medical services. It also noted that the effort contributes to realising the local government’s policy vision of building a “Happy Macau.”
The CIHA assessments are divided into three chapters (Hospital Function and Mission; Patient Safety, Medical Services and Medical Quality; and Hospital Management), comprising 186 criteria. The accreditation cycle starts every four years, emphasising continuous improvement, according to the statement.
As of 2025, since CIHA’s launch, seven hospitals have obtained the accreditation covering Hong Kong and the mainland, such as Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) and Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong.
The undated handout photo provided by the Health Bureau (SSM), shows SSM Director Lo Iek Long (third from left) and others posing for a group photo during Tuesday’s “Kick-off Meeting for the Certified International Hospital Accreditation (CIHA)”.
