Secretary for Health chairs 17th meeting of Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, chaired the 17th meeting of the Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) today (September 4) to discuss strategies and actions to tackle NCDs.
Professor Lo said, "In 2025, NCDs such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and chronic respiratory diseases accounted for more than half (53.7 per cent) of all registered deaths in Hong Kong. Similar to many other countries and regions, Hong Kong is facing public health threats driven by an ageing population and NCDs, which impose a mounting burden on society and the healthcare system."
In the meeting, members evaluated the progress of nine local targets for NCD prevention and control. Professor Lo emphasised, "Through multidisciplinary collaboration, the risk of premature mortality from the four aforementioned major NCDs in Hong Kong has declined continuously, with a 28 per cent reduction compared to 2010, indicating that our efforts have translated into concrete and measurable health outcomes. Reasons for this include a marked decline in Hong Kong's smoking rate, from 23.3 per cent in 1982 to a historic low of 8.5 per cent in 2025, which directly reduced the public's risk of developing severe tobacco-related diseases or even mortality."
However, common risk factors for NCDs such as obesity and insufficient physical activity currently remain prevalent. With a view to effectively controlling the relevant risks, the Government launched Hong Kong's first Action Plan on Weight Management in March this year in accordance with the 2025 Policy Address and drawing on national and World Health Organization policy frameworks. Spearheaded by an interdepartmental Weight Management Working Group, which co-ordinates corresponding measures across sectors such as healthcare, education, recreation and culture, as well as urban planning, the Action Plan outlines five key directions and 15 specific objectives to be systematically implemented over three years. The Action Plan adopts a life-course approach to provide appropriate support at every key stage of life, from prenatal nutrition, habit formation during school years, health management for working adults to maintaining physical function in the elderly. More importantly, the Action Plan aims to strengthen the role of primary healthcare as the "gatekeeper", promote collaboration between Chinese and Western medicine and integrate health data through the eHealth platform, thereby supporting citizens in managing their health.
The Government is implementing the reform measures set out in the Primary Healthcare Blueprint at full steam to establish a prevention-oriented primary healthcare system. In March this year, the Health Bureau launched the Primary Healthcare Co-care Network, introducing preventive measures recommended in the Hong Kong Primary Healthcare Reference Framework for Life Course Preventive Care in Primary Healthcare, as well as a framework for regular screening and management of high-risk diseases. Furthermore, services provided by the Elderly Health Centres under the Department of Health (DH) will be progressively integrated into the district health network from October this year, allowing more people from different age groups and risk groups to receive full-cycle health management in the community.
To effectively monitor NCDs in Hong Kong and support the formulation of public health policies, the DH commenced the fourth territory-wide Population Health Survey last September, collecting pertinent information on the health status and lifestyles of the local population to update and enrich the Government's database on population health. The findings will facilitate the ongoing review of the various targets under the Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control NCDs in Hong Kong.
Secretary for Health chairs 17th meeting of Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health chairs 17th meeting of Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
16 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Lightshadow", "Twilight", "Contribute", a joint operation with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department codenamed "Flabbergast" and a joint operation with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Labour Department codenamed "Champion", etc, from August 28 to yesterday (September 3). During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD officers raided multiple target locations including restaurants, massage parlours and flats under renovation. Thirteen suspected illegal workers, two suspected employers and one overstayer were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised five men and eight women, aged 33 to 46. Among them, a man and a woman were holding recognisance forms which prohibit them from taking any employment, and a woman was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. Two men, aged 39 and 48, were suspected of employing the illegal workers and were also arrested. The arrested overstayer was a woman aged 68. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant, prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at any time thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable by imprisonment for not less than two years. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged identity card or an identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 185 185, fax at 2824 1166, emailanti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit the "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form atwww.immd.gov.hk.
16 persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
