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The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS:

The Secretary for Health and Welfare, Dr E K Yeoh this (April 6) afternoon officiated at a ceremony in the Red Ribbon Centre to mark the 10th Anniversary of the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS (ACA).

He was accompanied by the Chairman of ACA, Dr Homer Tso.

Members of the platform party were the three former Chairmen of the Council, Professor S H Lee; the Director of Health, Dr Margaret Chan; and Dr Conrad Lam.

More than 50 current and former members of ACA and 70 other guests attended the Ceremony at 200 Junction Road East, Wang Tau Hom, Kowloon.

The Ceremony also marked the Kicking Off of the "15 Years of AIDS in Hong Kong" Photo Exhibition.

ACA has members comprising community leaders, professionals and Government officials. The Department of Health (DH) provides secretariat and operational support to the Council.

The terms of reference of ACA are:

* To keep under review local and international trends and development relating to HIV infection and AIDS;

* to advise Government on policy relating to the prevention, care and control of HIV infection and AIDS in Hong Kong; and

* to advise on the coordination and monitoring of programmes on the prevention of HIV infection and the provision of services to people with HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong.

The Council has three Committees - the Scientific Committee on AIDS; AIDS Prevention and Care Committee; and Committee on Promoting Acceptance of People Living with HIV/AIDS and they are supported by Task Forces, Subcommittees and Working Groups.

In November 1984, an Expert Committee on AIDS set up within the then Medical and Health Department to discuss and review the medical aspects of AIDS and to make out a plan for monitoring and managing HIV/AIDS when required. The Expert Committee was transformed into the Governor-appointed Advisory Council on AIDS (ACA) in 1990 to advise the Government on prevention, care and control of HIV/AIDS.

The photo exhibition will be open to the public from tomorrow (April 7) to April 30 at the Red Ribbon Centre.

Opening hours are Mondays to Fridays from 10 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm; Saturdays from 9am to 12 noon. It closes on Sundays and public holidays.

The exhibition will move to the City Hall between May 1 and May 4, Sha Tin Town Hall between June 17 and 18, Tuen Mun Town Hall between July 2 and July 3, and then Tsuen Wan Town Hall between July 23 and 28.

Members of the public can join the "Select the Historical Photos" Competition at the exhibition venues or visiting DH's AIDS website at http://www.info.gov.hk/aids

End/Thursday, April 6, 2000

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