******************************************************
A health promotion van, HEALTH Direct, launched by the Department of Health today (September 15), will tour various districts to publicise healthy lifestyles to local communities.
Officiating at the launching ceremony, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Dr Thomas Tsang, said research findings revealed that chronic diseases accounted for about 60% of deaths worldwide.
"Through the promotion of healthy lifestyles, over 80% of heart conditions and diabetes mellitus and one third of cancer cases can be prevented," he said.
"We hope the health promotion van can make the learning of how to live healthily more interesting and provide the public with tips on healthy lifestyles."
HEALTH Direct complements health promotion activities in the local community and will also stage roving exhibitions in housing estates and public places.
The van is equipped with a mix of health education resources on a range of health promotion themes including healthy eating, active living, organ donation and prevention of communicable diseases. Gadgets and computer games that come with HEALTH Direct allow users to acquire and refresh their knowledge about health in an interactive and interesting manner.
The van comes with a 42-inch all-weather LCD TV for broadcast of promotion VCDs/DVDs, and carries promotion carts, banners, posters and leaflets.
HEALTH Direct reinforces health promotion activities to be organised by government departments, public bodies, "healthy cities", schools, professional bodies, non-governmental organisations and other bodies.
Interested parties can reserve the use of HEALTH Direct by filling in an application form available from the Central Health Education Unit (CHEU) or its website, www.cheu.gov.hk. The completed form should be returned to CHEU by fax to 2591 6127; by email to health_cheuweb@dh.gov.hk; by post or by hand to 7/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Use of the van is free of charge.
For more information about HEALTH Direct, please visit the thematic website of CHEU at www.cheu.gov.hk.
Ends/Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:41
NNNN
