Hong Kong pilots denied care by doctors wary of Covid-19 sanctions

HONG KONG (BLOOMBERG) - It's a tough time to be a pilot, particularly in Hong Kong - where aircrew already struggling to navigate strict quarantine rules say some medical clinics are refusing to treat them after recent trips overseas.

One Cathay Pacific Airways pilot, after discovering he had high blood pressure, said he could not book a cardiologist for a follow up as he grew increasingly concerned about developing an aneurysm.

Another was unable to get his kidney pain checked out because he did not meet a clinic's two-week travel clearance policy.

In one case, a child was refused treatment after suffering an accident because the father, a pilot, had travelled for work.

For now, Hong Kong requires most travellers to spend 21 days in quarantine upon arrival.

Aircrew can leave isolation sooner, which presents a problem for those in need of urgent medical care, as private clinics are wary of accepting them in that time frame, even if their Covid-19 tests have come back negative.

The predicament for airline workers is another example of the disruption and costs of Hong Kong's zealous zero-tolerance approach to Covid-19, which has seen thousands of residents including young children put into isolation camps, people banned from returning home, and even the extermination of hamsters.

The perceived risk of quarantine may "discourage some clinics from seeing 'higher-risk' patients," Dr David Owens, founding partner of OT&P Healthcare, a leading private medical provider in Hong Kong, wrote in a text message.

"'Higher-risk' doesn't imply higher clinical risk, but rather individuals who may pose a theoretically higher quarantine risk to others because of their job or travel history," he said. "They may well be fit and healthy people, such as aircrew or even the family members of aircrew."

Paranoia has mounted as Hong Kong tries to tackle an Omicron outbreak. The aviation industry was singled out after initial clusters were traced back to two Cathay Pacific staff members who broke quarantine rules and were subsequently fired.

"At a time when hamsters are sent for culling, you can't blame private hospitals and clinics for being extra cautious," said Dr Gabriel Choi, a member of the Medical Council of Hong Kong.

Screening is stringent because medical providers could have their entire operations suspended and staff quarantined if a patient is infected, Dr Choi said.

Practitioners have always tended to avoid high-risk patients, including those involved in potential legal issues such as car accidents, he added.

The Cathay Pacific pilot with high blood pressure said he completed a week of compulsory hotel quarantine after returning in December, and took 10 Covid-19 tests that came back negative.

He tried to book an appointment in mid-January but two clinics would not see him until early February after finding out about his job, saying doctors preferred a later appointment even after a three-week travel clearance.

"My profession is being discriminated against big time in Hong Kong," he said, declining to be identified, as he was still seeking treatment. "They've put this stigma on aircrew."

The pilot's general doctor at a designated medical centre for aircrew asked a cardiologist friend to prescribe medicine to prevent his situation from deteriorating, he said. Eventually, he secured a spot at a private clinic on Jan 26, two weeks after his health scare emerged.

Many airline workers in Hong Kong tend to use private clinics, as the costs are covered by company insurance policies and waiting times are shorter.

The city's public healthcare system has also come under strain in recent months, with most hospitals operating at full capacity due to a surge in patients during the winter peak season.

All the affected pilots who spoke to Bloomberg News asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.

A Cathay Pacific spokesman said in an e-mailed response that the airline was "aware that many medical providers and private hospitals have policies in place that prevent our crew, and sometimes their families, from attending due to their travel history".

Cathay Pacific is ready to help and support its crew's medical needs, and emergency care at public hospitals remained available, the carrier said.

Hong Kong's Department of Health referred inquiries to other bureaus, while the Transport and Housing Bureau said it had no input into medical access concerns raised by pilots. The city's Food and Health Bureau also said it had no input in the matter.

A 30-year-old pilot with Cathay Pacific, which has slashed its services because of the pandemic and the weight of quarantine restrictions, said he was put in a cramped storage room at a clinic and had to speak to a doctor there by phone.

He also had difficulty booking an appointment after the two-week travel mark when a receptionist found out he was a pilot from his insurance details and said three weeks were needed.

When he finally found a practitioner willing to see him with two weeks' clearance, he was sent for a CT scan at a separate facility, but could not get one because that place required three weeks without travel history.

Another Cathay Pacific pilot said his four-year-old daughter's therapist requested to see his roster before scheduling sessions.

One more said a clinic refused to see his child following an accident in December because the father had been out of Hong Kong in the previous three weeks, even though his son did not travel. After the boy was admitted to a private hospital, his doctor advised the father not to fly in the 21 days before the child's surgery.

It is not illegal for private practitioners to set their own policies, said Mr Tim Pang, a spokesman for the Patients' Rights Association. While public hospitals are required by law to admit any patient, no such rule exists for private facilities.

Patients can complain to the Department of Health if they believe they have been treated unfairly, Mr Pang said.

"The situation is very unfortunate," Mr Pang said. "It's like pilots have become scapegoats."