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The Permanent Secretary for Food and Health (Health), Mr Richard Yuen, today (May 16) called on the community to recognise the important role of family doctors in the health-care system and their significant contribution in safeguarding public health.
Addressing the launching ceremony of a primary care television drama series to celebrate World Family Doctor Day, Mr Yuen underlined the importance of family doctors in providing primary care services despite the fact that there was still a significant proportion of the population who did not have a family doctor or perceive the need for having one.
According to a telephone survey conducted by the Department of Health (DH) in February, more than half (58 per cent) of the respondents did not have a family doctor. Among them, about 60 per cent did not intend to get a family doctor at the moment, and nearly one-third (32 per cent) of them considered that there was no such need as they seldom got sick.
Mr Yuen said that many people did not recognise the role of the family doctor in primary care services. In fact, family doctors are our important partners for health who provide us with comprehensive and accessible health-care services.
Family doctors are the main provider of primary care, which is the first level of care in the whole health-care system and the first point of contact for individuals and families in a continuing health-care process. A family doctor cares about patients beyond treatment of their diseases. He or she is capable of providing comprehensive, continuing, whole person and preventive care to both patients and their families so as to ensure their physical, psychological and social well-being.
World Family Doctor Day is marked annually on May 19 by the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) to give recognition to the important role of family doctors in the global health-care system and draw public attention to their considerable contribution.
Locally, to promote the concept of family doctors and raise the awareness of the general public about the importance of primary care, the DH and Radio Television Hong Kong have jointly produced a five-episode television drama series featuring the role and work of family doctors and their relationship with patients. The TV series will be broadcast from May 24 onwards on five consecutive Saturdays at 7.30pm on TVB Jade.
Other officiating guests at the ceremony today included the Deputy Director of Health, Dr Cindy Lai; the Assistant Director of Broadcasting (TV & Corporate Businesses), Mr Forever Sze; the President of the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians, Dr Ruby Lee; and the Executive Member-at-large of WONCA, Dr Donald Li.
For more information on primary care and relevant initiatives, the public may visit the website of the Primary Care Office of the DH (www.pco.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, May 16, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:13
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