Letters5-year plan must take mental health seriously for the economy’s sake

Readers discuss why mental health ought to be positioned as a strategic asset, and how the city is well-placed to build health resilience for the world’s most impoverished

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People fill the streets in Kwun Tong at lunchtime. In driving economic innovation, the protection of human capital, and mental health, is strategic. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 11:30am, 13 Aug 2026

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As Hong Kong prepares for its first five-year planning cycle, long-term urban sustainability demands investing in mental capital. For Hong Kong to remain globally competitive without normalising burnout or chronic stress, mental health must be treated as core public infrastructure and a strategic economic enabler – not merely a medical service for diagnosed conditions.

The rationale is human and economic. High living costs, long working hours, high-stakes academic pressure and rapid technological shifts create significant mental strain.

This translates to an estimated HK$12.4 billion annual loss in workforce productivity due to poor mental health.

Hong Kong possesses distinct comparative advantages, including an established professional workforce, world-class university research, a sophisticated health system and capable NGOs. However, current resources remain fragmented and heavily concentrated downstream in clinical care.

In 2022-2023, the Hospital Authority spent HK$6.086 billion on clinical mental healthcare, while population-level promotion like “Shall We Talk” campaign received just HK$50 million.