Hong Kong Launches Inaugural HIV Testing Month to Combat AIDS Awareness and Prevention

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

CHP investigates two suspected food poisoning clusters with epidemiological linkage

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (January 9) investigating two epidemiologically linked suspected food poisoning clusters affecting 39 students from two primary schools. The students developed symptoms after consuming lunch provided by the Sailing Boat Luncheon Production Limited. The CHP reminded the public to maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent foodborne diseases.

The first cluster involves 12 boys and 16 girls aged between 6 and 11. They attend a primary school in Sham Shui Po. The investigation revealed that the affected students developed abdominal pain and diarrhoea approximately three to 31 hours after eating school lunch containing fish, chicken cutlets, sauce, garnish and rice, which was provided by the abovementioned school lunch supplier on January 6.

While investigating the first cluster, the CHP of the DH traced the supply chain of the school lunch supplier and identified another cluster, involving eight boys and three girls, aged between 10 and 12, who attend a primary school in Diamond Hill. The investigation revealed that the affected students developed abdominal pain and diarrhoea approximately five to 15 hours after eating lunch containing chicken, cervelat sausage, sauce and fusilli at school yesterday (January 8). The food concerned was also provided by the same school lunch supplier.

None of the affected students required hospitalisation and they are all currently in stable condition.

Officers of the CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, including personnel of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and the Environmental Hygiene Branch, have inspected the food factory of the school lunch supplier concerned and the kitchen of the first school. They inspected the food storage, the food preparation process and environmental hygiene. Investigation revealed that some food items, such as meat and sauce, were prepared at the food factory, while the other food items, such as rice and garnish, were prepared at the school kitchen. It is suspected that some food items were prepared too early in advance. The CFS immediately instructed the premises concerned to suspend operations for thorough cleaning and disinfection, improve food preparation process and hygiene standards. The CFS has provided food safety and environmental hygiene education to the staff. Food and environmental samples were collected for testing.

The investigation of the CHP and CFS is ongoing.

To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out, one should:

Avoid eating raw seafood;

Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters at a buffet;

Choose pasteurised eggs, egg products or dried egg powder for dishes that often use undercooked eggs;

Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;

Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hotpot or barbecue meal;

Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;

Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked foods;

Avoid patronising illegal food hawkers;

Drink boiled water;

Susceptible populations, including those with weakened immunity, the elderly, pregnant women and young children are at a higher risk of foodborne diseases, so they should not consume raw or undercooked foods;

Refrain from trying to use salt, vinegar, wine or wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and

Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.

Source: AI-found images