DH launches Quit in June campaign in support of World No Tobacco Day

2024-05-27 11:03 Last Updated At：11:18

Join dh's quit in june campaign and kick the habit for world no tobacco day

The Department of Health (DH) announced today (May 27) that the Quit in June campaign will be launched in support of May 31 as World No Tobacco Day. The campaign encourages smokers to attempt to quit in order to reduce the risk of tobacco-related diseases and deaths.

The World Health Organization marks May 31 as World No Tobacco Day annually to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate effective tobacco control policies to reduce tobacco consumption. With a view to raising public awareness on the harmful influences of the tobacco industry on youth by targeting them with highly addictive and harmful tobacco products, the theme for this year's World No Tobacco Day is "Protecting children from tobacco industry interference".

A spokesman for the DH stressed, "It is beneficial for smokers of all ages to quit smoking as it brings immediate and long-term health benefits. Smokers who stay tobacco free for four weeks will be five times more likely to quit for good."

The DH has introduced Chinese medicine ear-point patches to help with quitting smoking, which is a new initiative under the Quit in June campaign this year. The application of cowherb seeds on the surface of the ear(s) to stimulate ear points will lessen the discomfort related to nicotine withdrawal, especially during the early stage of quitting. People who wish to quit smoking can receive Chinese medicine ear-point patches for free at more than 40 Chinese medicine clinics across the territory. They can also enrol in free Chinese medicine and acupuncture smoking cessation services anytime, or after they have tried the Chinese medicine ear-point patches for two weeks.

Furthermore, the DH continues to offer one-week smoking cessation drugs (as part of nicotine replacement therapy) trial packs at more than 250 community pharmacies, smoking cessation clinics, and District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses to help smokers to ease withdrawal symptoms and quit successfully.

People who wish to quit smoking can go to locations displaying the orange sticker of the Chinese medicine ear-point patches, or the green stickers of the one-week smoking cessation drugs trial pack. After a simple assessment, they can scan the QR code with the "Quit Smoking App" and obtain Chinese medicine ear-point patches or a one-week smoking cessation drug trial pack for free. If they decide to receive smoking cessation treatment after trying Chinese medicine ear-point patches or smoking cessation drugs, they can make an appointment for free smoking cessation services at smoking cessation clinics, District Health Centres or District Health Centre Expresses for follow-up. Smokers may also make use of the mail-to-quit service to receive cessation medications by post and follow-up by phone for free.

The spokesman said that the DH has started broadcasting "We are all in this together. Quit Now" television and radio announcements in the public interest, and displaying advertisements through public transportation networks to encourage smokers to quit. The DH will also offer reasons or tips to quit smoking every day via a social media platform to encourage smokers to quit smoking.

Members of the public can call 1833 183 or visit the smoking cessation thematic website (www.livetobaccofree.hk) for more information on quitting and the available supporting tools and services. They can also download the "Quit Smoking App" to keep track of their progress in quitting and get tips on dealing with cravings to stay tobacco-free.

Hong Kong Health Secretary Visits Hainan to Strengthen Medical Collaboration and Innovation

Secretary for Health leads delegation to commence visit to Hainan Province

The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, today (August 13) led a delegation to commence their visit to Hainan Province to meet with local health officials and visit the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (Pilot Zone) in Hainan.

Professor Lo met with Deputy Director of the Hainan Medical Products Administration Mr Wang Gang in the morning, and highlighted the important measures put forward by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in the aspect of developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.

Professor Lo said, "Hong Kong is proactively aligning with the direction of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and pressing ahead with the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub by complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation. We are enhancing the regulatory standards for drugs and medical devices in Hong Kong on all fronts, including the implementation of the '1+' drug approval mechanism, the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation within this year, and the implementation of the 'primary evaluation' mechanism for new drug registration since March this year. In addition, Hong Kong is actively taking forward the standardisation of clinical data in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, with a view to expediting the registration and launch of innovative drugs and medical devices in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas markets."

At his subsequent meeting with the Director of the Health Commission of Hainan Province, Mr Li Wenxiu, the two sides had a detailed exchange on issues including the development of Chinese medicine (CM), the high-quality development of public hospitals, and information sharing on the prevention and control of diseases.

Professor Lo said, "The HKSAR Government has long been actively promoting the development of CM, including the release of the first Chinese Medicine Development Blueprint last year, and the commissioning of the two flagship projects for CM development, namely The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the permanent premises of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute. These measures will further consolidate Hong Kong's role as a bridgehead for the global expansion of CM, to better serve and contribute to the overall national development of CM."

Regarding the high-quality development of public hospitals, Professor Lo emphasised that the HKSAR Government will continue to actively promote the accreditation of more public hospitals under the China's International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version), with a view to ensuring the management and healthcare quality of local hospitals are on par with international standards while demonstrating the excellence of the national healthcare standards to the international community, thereby facilitating the national standards to go global.

In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Boao Hope City Ever Lasting International Innovation Medicine Exhibition, Ruijin Hainan Hospital (Boao Research Hospital), affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,and the Boao Yiling Life Care Centerlocated in the Pilot Zone, and met with the Chief Director of the Administration of the Pilot Zone, Mr Fu Sheng. Professor Lo said, "Serving as an important strategic node of the country's healthcare reform, the Pilot Zone is the only special medical zone on the Mainland benefitting from preferential policies. Focusing on introducing innovative drugs and medical devices from around the world and developing medical tourism, the Pilot Zone is a pioneer of the country's efforts to promote real-world data studies and a testing ground for major national projects of innovation in new drugs and healthcare technologies. Hainan Province's accumulated experience in areas such as the approval of drugs and medical devices for clinical use and the development of cross-boundary healthcare serves as a valuable reference for Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong and Hainan Province enjoy a close co-operative relationship. On the basis of complementarity and mutual benefits, we will further promote exchanges and mutual learning of experiences between the two places in the healthcare field, and jointly promote the development of 'Healthy China'."

Members of the delegation include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Senior Advisor (Secretary for Health's Office), Dr Joe Fan; the Director of the Real-World Study and Application Centre, Professor Cheung Ching-lung; as well as officers of the Health Bureau, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority. They will visit a local pharmaceutical enterprise tomorrow before returning to Hong Kong in the afternoon.