The Centre for Health Protection (CHP), set up with Jockey Club funding in response to the SARS outbreak in 2003, hosted an international symposium for experts to share their experiences in disease prevention and control on 24 – 25 October. Held to mark CHP’s 10th Anniversary, the symposium attracted about 700 participants from government departments and the public healthcare sector.
The Club’s Executive Director, Charities and Community Leong Cheung joined Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man, Director of Health Dr Constance Chan, Deputy Director General of the Health Emergency Response Office at China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission, Dr Wang Wenjie, and CHP Controller Dr T H Leung to officiate at the opening ceremony today (24 October).
Mr Cheung said the symposium was made all the more important amidst the current threats of ebola. “During SARS in 2003, the Club thought it should be better prepared in future, so we worked quickly with the Government and contributed HK$500 million to establish the CHP to help prevent and fight epidemics as well as develop a Communicable Disease Information System. Since then, the Centre has become an important line of defence against contagious diseases in Hong Kong,” he said.
Dr Ko said that on the advice of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Expert Committee, the CHP was set up in 2004 with an aim to achieve effective prevention and control of disease in Hong Kong together with local and international stakeholders. He thanked The Hong Kong Jockey Club for its generous HK$500 million donation for the establishment of the Centre.
At the two-day symposium carrying the theme of CHP ten years on: Challenges and Collaboration in Disease Prevention and Control in the Asia-Pacific Region, experts from Mainland China, Singapore, Australia and other countries in the Asia-Pacific Region will share experiences and views on disease prevention and control. Topics covered will cover air pollution, antibiotic resistance, avian flu and cancer screening.
Key speakers include Under Secretary for the Environment Christine Loh, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease Director Professor Zhong Nanshan, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine President Dr Donald Li, and Cancer Expert Working Group in Cancer Prevention and Screening Chairman Professor Lam Tai-hing. For details, please visit http://symposium2014.chp.gov.hk/en/index.html.
In the broader aspect, the Club has played a vital role in supporting local medical development, donating more than HK7.5 billion in this area over the years. Projects include the establishment of a teaching hospital at CUHK to provide high-quality and affordable medical services for sandwich-class patients; the Hong Kong Jockey Club Innovative Learning Centre for Medicine to help develop Hong Kong as a regional hub of excellence in simulation based-training; and the HKJC Disaster Preparedness and Response Institute.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class horse racing operator and Hong Kong’s largest community benefactor, as well as one of Asia’s most prestigious membership clubs. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation, the Club allocates its surplus for charitable and community projects. In 2013/14, its donations reached a record $3.6 billion, and in the last decade alone it supported over 1,275 projects. The Club is also Hong Kong’s largest single taxpayer, contributing a record HK$19.58 billion in 2013/14. With about 70% of its revenue given back to society every year through donations and tax contributions, The Hong Kong Jockey Club delivers a significantly higher return to the community than any other racing and/or sports betting organisation in the world. As a socially responsible organisation, the Club helps Government combat illegal betting and advocates responsible gambling. The Club is also one of Hong Kong’s largest employers with over 24,800 full-time and part-time staff. Committed to global excellence and giving back to society, the Club is always “riding high together for a better future” with the people of Hong Kong.
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The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community Leong Cheung says CHP has become an important line of defence against contagious diseases in Hong Kong since its establishment in 2004.
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The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community Leong Cheung (1st right) joins Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man (centre), Director of Health Dr Constance Chan (2nd right), Deputy Director General of the Health Emergency Response Office at Chinaa£į?s National Health and Family Planning Commission, Dr Wang Wenjie (2nd left) and CHP Controller Dr T H Leung (1st left) at the opening ceremony of the symposium.
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The Cluba£į?s Executive Director, Charities and Community Leong Cheung (1st row, 5th right), pictured with Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man (1st row, 6th left), Director of Health Dr Constance Chan (1st row, 6th right), Deputy Director General of the Health Emergency Response Office at Chinaa£į?s National Health and Family Planning Commission, Dr Wang Wenjie (1st row, 5th left), Former Director of Health Dr Lam Ping-yan (1st row, 4th right), Permanent Secretary for Food and Health Richard Yuen (1st row, 4th left), Hong Kong Academy of Medicine President Dr Donald Li (1st row, 3rd right), CHP Controller Dr T H Leung (1st row, 3rd left), Hospital Authority Chief Executive Dr Leung Pak-yin (1st row, 2nd right) and other guests.
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