Go to main content
 
DH holds conference to mark 65th anniversary of public health nursing in Hong Kong (with photos)
******************************************************************************************
     The Department of Health (DH) today (September 21) organised a conference to mark the 65th anniversary of Hong Kong's public health nursing and explore the future development and challenges of the nursing profession.
 
     Addressing the opening ceremony of the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of Hong Kong Public Health Nursing and Conference, the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, said, "The public health nurses of the DH play a key primary care role in Hong Kong. They shoulder an important mission to promote the health of the public and help implement the Government's public health policies."
 
     Professor Chan expressed her gratitude to public health nurses for remaining steadfast in discharging their duties over the years. Working closely with other healthcare professionals, they have consistently exercised their professional nursing skills to deliver a range of services as well as educate the public on disease prevention and health promotion.
 
     She praised the public health nurses for their commendable professionalism and hoped that they would continue to provide quality services for members of the public in the years ahead.
 
     The Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, gave a keynote presentation on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the conference. She said, "To curb the burden of NCDs, the Government in May last year launched 'Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong' (SAP), which sets out nine local health targets to be achieved by 2025, and has put forward a systematic portfolio of NCD policies, programmes and actions."
 
     She said that to address the challenges posed by NCDs, every colleague in the healthcare profession has a role to play. She hoped that the nursing profession would give its full support to the implementation of the SAP so that joint efforts from various stakeholders (including government bureaux and departments, academia, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and individuals) can together achieve the health targets set under the plan.
 
     The Principal Nursing Officer of DH, Dr Mary Foong, in her speech said that public health nursing training in Hong Kong can be dated back to 1954. With the theme of today's conference named "Extending Public Health Nursing's Legacies”, the message is clear that public health nurses will maintain the spirit inherited from their predecessors to strive for excellence and serve the public wholeheartedly. She also appealed for the support from the nursing field in combating the challenges from communicable diseases and NCDs.
 
     The conference has over 400 participants, including local and Greater Bay Area representatives from the healthcare sector. Nurse leaders from different sectors were invited to give presentations on various topics including Hong Kong’s public health nursing and the control of NCDs. An exhibition was also held at the venue to pay homage to the development of public health nursing in Hong Kong and the work of public health nurses through the years.
 
Ends/Saturday, September 21, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:00
NNNN
Today's Press Releases  

Photo

The Department of Health today (September 21) organises the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of Hong Kong Public Health Nursing and Conference. Photo shows the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan,
addressing the opening ceremony.
The Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan, gives a keynote presentation on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases at the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of Hong Kong Public Health Nursing and Conference today (September 21).
The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan (fourth left); the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan (fourth right); the Principal Nursing Officer of the Department of Health, Dr Mary Foong (third left); and other guests officiate at the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of Hong Kong Public Health Nursing and Conference today (September 21).
Public health nurses of the Department of Health today (September 21) demonstrate various nurse uniforms at the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of Hong Kong Public Health Nursing and Conference.
Accompanying by the Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan (second right); and the Principal Nursing Officer of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Mary Foong (second left), the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan (first right), today (September 21) tours the exhibition at the 65th Anniversary Ceremony of Hong Kong Public Health Nursing and Conference to pay homage to the development of public health nursing in Hong Kong and the work of public health nurses of the DH through the years.