Hong Kong 2006

In the financial year 2005-06, the Department of Health spent $212.2 million on health promotion initiatives. Among all key health promoters, the Central Health Education Unit of the Department of Health continues to play a leading role in formulating the direction of, and providing resources for, public health education. The unit comprises professionals from different disciplines to facilitate health promotion in a knowledge-based, need-driven and effective manner.

This year, the unit focused on a variety of health promotion activities that involved all levels of the community. The promotion included the 'Exercise Prescription Project' to promote physical activities; the 'EatSmart@school.hk' campaign to promote healthy eating among primary school students; health education and promotion activities related to influenza, avian influenza and influenza pandemic preparedness; and the campaign 'Wash Hands for Better Health' to raise public awareness on hand hygiene. Major studies like 'Baseline Assessment of Promoting Healthy Eating in Primary Schools', 'Health Needs Assessment Study for the Community Development Project for the Ethnic Minority Groups' and 'The Food, Personal and Environmental Hygiene Survey' were also carried out in 2006.

Considerable efforts have been made in promoting the psychosocial health in secondary school as well. A total of 346 secondary schools with around 122 000 students and 7 000 parents and teachers enrolled and received services under the Adolescent Health Programme organised by the Department of Health in the school year 2005-06.

Educational and promotional activities were organised throughout the year by the Oral Health Education Unit of the Department of Health to enhance the community's general level of oral health awareness. These activities included outreach programmes delivered through the 'Oral Health Education Bus', and target-specific programmes delivered through kindergartens and pre-school centres to over 100 000 pre-schoolers every year. Information on oral health is disseminated to the public by means of the oral health education homepage, www.toothclub.gov.hk, and the 24-hour interactive oral health education telephone hotline.

In 2006, the annual Love Teeth Campaign took place in September, with the theme, 'It's not good enough to brush twice a day. Proper teeth cleaning technique is the way!' The campaign aims to help the public understand the correct concept and techniques of teeth cleaning.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and health promotion programmes in Hong Kong are underpinned by the concerted efforts of the Government as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The Red Ribbon Centre of the Department of Health collaborates with a number of community partners to promote public awareness of HIV and acceptance of people living with HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In 2006, the centre organised 25 major activities and 127 focused programmes, benefiting around 70 000 participants.

Information on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, individual counselling and HIV antibody tests are offered to the public through the 24-hour, trilingual AIDS hotline, (852) 2780-2211. In 2006, the AIDS hotline received around 16 000 telephone calls. Over 1 million condoms were distributed to promote safer sex. A new AIDS Hotline (852) 2117-1069 and a new website www.21171069.com were launched to enhance the dissemination of AIDS prevention messages to men who have sex with men.

The Department of Health joined hands with the Hospital Authority, the Hong Kong Medical Association and some NGOs to actively promote organ donation both inside and outside hospital settings. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Medical Association, a territory-wide organ donation promotion campaign entitled "Light up lives. Support organ donation" was launched in December 2006.

Appeals were also made to various government departments, NGOs and private companies to solicit their support in making organ donation cards/forms readily accessible to their staff and clients, and actively encourage them to sign in. They were also requested to motivate their member/partner organisations to do the same. Other promotion activities include talks, seminars, exhibitions in hospitals, universities and shopping malls, and press conferences to arouse the public awareness of the needs of patients with end stage organ failure.

In 2006, there were 23 liver transplants, seven heart transplants, 53 renal transplants, one lung transplant and 213 cornea transplants conducted in the public hospitals of Hong Kong.