DH holds World AIDS Campaign 2024 Kick-off Ceremony to promote prevention of HIV infection and inaugural HIV Testing Month
The Department of Health (DH) and Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS (ACA) today (November 30) jointly held the World AIDS Campaign 2024 Kick-off Ceremony to raise public awareness of the prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. The DH also announced the launch of the inaugural HIV Testing Month in Hong Kong, encouraging people who have had sex to undergo HIV testing at least once to keep track of their own health status. People with HIV should seek specialist care and HIV treatment as soon as possible for viral suppression and for health restoration.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated December 1 (i.e. tomorrow) each year as World AIDS Day, and today's event was organised in response to this observance. Under the theme "Advances with Love, 40 Years of United Actions & Beyond", the ceremony reflected on the past and future joint efforts between the Government, healthcare sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to combat AIDS and care for patients and their families through a multipronged approach and strategic collaboration since the first case of HIV infection was reported in Hong Kong in 1984.
Officiating at the ceremony, the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, said, "The prevalence of HIV infection in Hong Kong remains well below the global average, accounting for 1 in 1 000 of the adult population. The number of new cases in recent years has continued to drop from the peak in 2015, which is encouraging. However, we must not be complacent, as the proportion of late presenters in Hong Kong has been on the rise in recent years, and the number of newly infected persons aged 50 or above has not dropped in tandem with the overall number of newly infected persons. Furthermore, various challenges such as stigma and discrimination still exist."
In view of this, the Red Ribbon Centre of the DH, in collaboration with 12 NGOs and 10 supporting organisations, is launching the inaugural HIV Testing Month in Hong Kong in December (i.e. from tomorrow onwards), with a view to increasing the public's awareness of HIV testing in Hong Kong, as well as helping the public understand how to get tested for HIV easily and conveniently through a variety of channels.
The Scientific Committee on AIDS and STI has earlier issued its recommendation that people who have had sex should get HIV testing at least once.
Dr Lam said, "The launch of HIV Testing Month aims to promote the normalisation of HIV testing. Members of the public can browse the HIV Testing Service website (www.hivtest.gov.hk) or access the HIV testing calendar on the HIV Testing Service website via the '@DH mobile application' to learn more about and select testing resources in the community."
The Government will launch a new Announcement of Public Interest (API) under the slogan "For your health, get tested for HIV" to appeal to people who have had sex to get tested for HIV at least once, so that those who are unaware of their infection status can receive timely diagnosis and treatment. Normalising HIV testing will also help remove the negative stigma associated with HIV infection and testing.
The ceremony was attended by around 100 stakeholders who have been involved in the fight against AIDS since the 1980s.
Designated as a United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Collaborating Centre for Technical Support, the Red Ribbon Centre of the DH has been working closely with NGOs involved in AIDS work to promote the World AIDS Campaign. It will continue to conduct publicity and education through different channels to raise public awareness of AIDS prevention.
Other officiating guests at the ceremony included the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Edwin Tsui; the Director of the Centre for Health Systems and Policy Research of the JC School of Public Health and Primary Care of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Yeoh Eng-kiong; the Chairman of the Hong Kong AIDS Foundation, Dr Leong Che-hung; the Chairperson of the ACA, Dr Ho King-man; the Chairman of the Expert Panel on HIV Infection of Health Care Workers, Dr Lai Sik-to; and the Chairman of the Scientific Committee on AIDS and STI, Dr Lee Cheuk-kwong.
DH holds World AIDS Campaign 2024 Kick-off Ceremony to promote prevention of HIV infection and inaugural HIV Testing Month Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH holds World AIDS Campaign 2024 Kick-off Ceremony to promote prevention of HIV infection and inaugural HIV Testing Month Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH holds World AIDS Campaign 2024 Kick-off Ceremony to promote prevention of HIV infection and inaugural HIV Testing Month Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH holds World AIDS Campaign 2024 Kick-off Ceremony to promote prevention of HIV infection and inaugural HIV Testing Month Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, began his visit to Shanghai and Suzhou today (January 13).
In the morning, Professor Sun visited the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in Shanghai, where he was briefed on the construction of this national laboratory’s permanent base, its research frontiers and core technological breakthroughs, to learn about its support in the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry which realises leapfrog development, including basic models developed by the laboratory like the powerful reasoning model Intern Thinker and the large language model “InternLM”, as well as OpenDataLab.
Professor Sun also visited an innovative medical company with multiple patents for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. He received a comprehensive briefing on the enterprise's industrial layout, businesses in various areas and its research and development (R&D) technology and that the company is exploring to expand its businesses, set up an R&D centre and a production base in Hong Kong.
In the afternoon, Professor Sun departed for Suzhou and visited the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP). He toured the key industrial park's exhibition centre to understand the construction and development of this high technology park. Approved to be established by the State Council in 1994, the SIP was a major co-operation project between China and Singapore. The park has formed a “2+4+1” industrial layout focusing on two pillar industries, namely new generation of information technology and high-end equipment manufacturing, as well as four emerging industries, namely biomedicine and big health, nanotechnology application and new materials, AI and digital, new energy and green technology, with modern services as a focus.
Professor Sun said Hong Kong is actively accelerating the building of the Hetao Hong Kong Park and the San Tin Technopole in the Northern Metropolis. The successful example of the SIP can serve as a reference for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) in planning the development of these two major innovation and technology (I&T) projects.
Professor Sun also visited an industrial testing equipment and whole production line system solution provider in the SIP. The enterprise’s main products are applied in industries of flat panel display, semiconductor and new energy automotive electronics. It also provides customised data-integrated software platforms for industries. He also visited the R&D room and photoelectric laboratory of the enterprise.
Meanwhile, Professor Sun met with relevant leaders of the Municipal People’s Governments of Shanghai and Suzhou respectively and had a work meeting with the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology. At the meetings, Professor Sun introduced the HKSARG's latest policies on leading the development of the city’s I&T industry and the current development. He also learned about the recent development outcomes in I&T and high-tech industrialisation of Shanghai and Suzhou. Both sides exchanged views on issues including fostering exchanges and co-operation in I&T between Hong Kong and the two cities as well as promoting technology innovation.
Last night, Professor Sun attended the innovative development exchange seminar cum annual dinner organised by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai. Addressing the event, he said Hong Kong's I&T development directions and opportunities lie in bringing together talents and resources, combining innovative policies and thinking, and leveraging Hong Kong's unique advantages of having strong support from the Motherland and close connection with the world under the “one country, two systems", with a view to "promoting technology with talents, leading industries with technology, and attracting talents with industries" and injecting new impetus for high-quality developments of the country and Hong Kong.
"We are also actively attracting technology enterprises from both the Mainland and overseas to come to Hong Kong for development. Over the past two years, more than 130 potential and representative I&T enterprises have set up or expanded their businesses in Hong Kong, including leading enterprises and well-known brands from Shanghai. We welcome more outstanding technology enterprises from Shanghai and other provinces and cities in the country to come to Hong Kong for development, making good use of Hong Kong as a platform to venture overseas and achieve mutual development."
The Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology), Dr Ge Ming, who joined the visit, shared with the participants the development and achievements of Hong Kong's I&T in areas such as scientific research, building an I&T ecosystem, attracting talent and enterprises at the dialogue session about the development of start-ups in Shanghai and Hong Kong. He also pointed out the close relationship and seamless co-operation of the two places in I&T, holding that collaboration can be strengthened to jointly build the I&T industry chain to serve national strategies.
Professor Sun will continue his visit to Shanghai tomorrow (January 14).
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
SITI commences visit to Shanghai and Suzhou Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
