Police National Security Department arrests one man and one woman
The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force conducted an enforcement operation yesterday (August 30) in Kowloon and the New Territories and arrested a man and a woman, aged 41 and 28 respectively, for being suspected of "doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention", contravening Section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Police conducted searches at the arrested persons’ residences with a court warrant, where light boxes, materials for making light boxes and relevant electronic communication devices were seized. The arrested persons are now being detained for investigation.
Investigation revealed that the arrested woman was suspected of publishing fraudulent “last words” of the deceased in relation to a recent suicide case, while the arrested man was suspected of persistently placing so-called “memorial light boxes” in various places, with contents provoking hatred towards the Central Authorities and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The enforcement action is still on-going. Police remind the public that "doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention" is a serious offence. Offenders shall be liable on first conviction to imprisonment for seven years. Members of the public are urged not to defy the law.
DH organises "Oral Health for Life" Festival to promote life-course approach to oral health management
In support of National Love Teeth Day 2026, the Department of Health (DH) today (October 11) organised the "Oral Health for Life" Festival at Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill. Through interactive exhibition panels, fun game booths and performances, the event disseminated accurate oral health information to the public. This year's theme of "Healthy Mouth, Healthy Life; Building strong teeth from an early age, Enjoying life with healthy teeth in an old age" encourages the public to develop good dental care habits from an early age and maintain oral health throughout their lifetime. The event was supported by the Beijing Municipal Health Commission (BJHC), the Health Commission of Guangdong Province and the Chinese Stomatological Association.
Officiating at the opening ceremony, the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, emphasised that oral health is a vital cornerstone of overall health. He reminded the public to develop good oral hygiene habits from an early age.
Dr Lam said, "The national health plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period implements the 'Health First' development strategy and accelerates the building of a 'Healthy China'. This includes strengthening health promotion and disease prevention, as well as improving health services across the entire life cycle, including the oral health of children, adolescents and the elderly. The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) and the 2026 Policy Address recently announced by the Chief Executive also actively align with the national plan. They explicitly propose taking active public health measures, further enhancing the accessibility of primary healthcare services and continuing to deepen healthcare system reform. Starting from 2027, the Government will provide preventive primary oral healthcare services for specified high-risk groups at designated District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses, and expand the Healthy Teeth Collaboration to offer outreach preventive oral healthcare services for residents of designated residential care homes for persons with disabilities.
"The theme of today's event, 'Oral Health for Life', conveys an important message - dental care is a lifelong health endeavour. Parents must guide their children to develop proper toothbrushing techniques and habits from an early age, making dental care a part of daily life and ensuring their children undergo regular dental check-ups. The DH promotes oral health services tailored to the needs of different age groups to help all citizens practise the principle of prevention, early identification and timely intervention for dental diseases, with a view to preserving teeth."
The Director of the BJHC, Ms Liu Juncai; the Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Director-General of the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, Mr Liu Liqun, and the President of the Chinese Stomatological Association, Professor Guo Chuanbin, also delivered pre-recorded video speeches, expressing their support for the event and oral health promotion efforts.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Consultant in-charge of the Dental Services of the DH, Dr Kitty Hse, said that through the strategy of "developing community-wide preventive primary oral healthcare", the Government promotes and develops preventive-focused oral healthcare widely among the public, assisting citizens in self-managing their oral health. Meanwhile, the strategy of "providing essential dental care services targeting underprivileged groups" focuses on providing appropriate oral health and dental care services to underprivileged groups with financial difficulties and special needs, ensuring that these communities can access essential dental care. She urged the public to maintain good oral hygiene and dietary habits, undergo annual dental check-ups, and detect and treat dental problems early in order to preserve their teeth for a lifetime.
For children and adolescents, the DH currently provides continuous and seamless oral health support from the preschool through the school-age stages. This includes the Bright Smiles Baby Programme for children aged 0 to 3, the Outreach Oral Health Programme for Pre-school Children for children in all kindergartens aged 32 months and above, and the territory-wide School Dental Care Service for primary school students, thereby establishing a comprehensive safety net for their oral health.
For the elderly and individuals with special oral care needs, the DH has implemented the Outreach Dental Care Programme for the Elderly, the Healthy Teeth Collaboration and the Special Oral Care Service, while the Community Dental Support Programme aims to provide suitable oral health and dental care services to underprivileged groups with financial difficulties.
At the opening ceremony, the DH also presented certificates to the representatives from various non-governmental organisations providing community dental services and organisations participating in the Healthy Cities Projects (see Annex) to show appreciation for their continued support for the Government in health promotion.
Teeth are indispensable companions throughout one's life. In addition the support provided to the public through various programmes. People of all ages should develop the habit of undergoing annual dental check-ups. Even in old age, maintaining healthy and strong teeth allows us to fully enjoy delicious food and maintain a good quality of life.
Members of the public can visit the DH's Oral Health Promotion Division website and the Facebook page and YouTube channel of "Love Teeth HK" for more information on oral health.
DH organises "Oral Health for Life" Festival to promote life-course approach to oral health management Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
