Multi-pronged approach to prevent twindemic 2020-10-30Health experts warned people not to let down their guard as Hong Kong would face a possible ‘twindemic’ when a raging coronavirus pandemic coincides with the winter flu season. The article discusses how Hong Kong should prepare for the ‘twindemic’ in several possible scenarios.
COVID-19 battle: Prevent 'vaccine nationalism' from hindering global efforts 2020-10-21Most countries believe that a safe and effective vaccine would be the ultimate weapon to stop the spread of COVID-19. In fact, some wealthy countries have already pre-ordered billions of doses of experimental vaccines from pharmaceutical manufacturers. As a result, they have been criticised for giving rise to ‘vaccine nationalism’ which not only will leave poor countries in the lurch, but also slow down the global economic recovery. How should the world manage ‘vaccine nationalism’? Would it affect Hong Kong's vaccine procurement plans?
How to support grieving parents after the loss of pregnancy？ 2020-09-21Although government policies that help parents suffering from miscarriage arrange proper burials for abortuses are available, some people call on the society to pay more attention to the needs of these bereaved parents. What are the shortcomings of the existing policies? How can the society and the Government help?
Integrating palliative care for children into community 2020-08-24It is always a prolonged fight for children with serious illnesses and their families. Palliative care that helps alleviate physical and mental suffering of seriously ill children can improve their quality of life and fulfil their wishes of going home. Apart from paediatric palliative care teams in hospitals, primary healthcare service providers in the community can also play a role in satisfying home-based healthcare needs of these children.
Business opportunities arising from the ‘healing power’ of ASMR 2020-08-10On YouTube, there are a large number of videos that trigger the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) and attract hundreds of thousands of fans. They are lured into the hearsay of the healing power of ASMR to improve their mood. The power has even fuelled the emergence of diverse businesses and spawned a new career called ‘ASMRtist’.
#HealthyAtHome: Avoid trans fats in your diet 2020-07-29In Hong Kong, a lot of people rush to supermarkets and stock up foods in response to the third wave of coronavirus infections. Of all prepackaged foods, instant noodles and potato chips that may contain artificial trans fats are among their favourite choices. To lower the risk of coronary heart disease associated with excessive intake of trans fats, some countries have tightened trans fat regulations. Should these regulations be applied to Hong Kong?
Enhancing cross-sector collaboration in the battle against COVID-19 2020-06-22The COVID-19 pandemic has once again placed the spotlight on the risk of our over-reliance on the city’s public healthcare services. Although part of the services can be shared by the private sector and primary healthcare service providers, some obstacles have to be removed in advance.
The new normal amid coronavirus pandemic: Challenges of telemedicine 2020-06-17The delivery of healthcare services has to adapt to a ‘new normal’ under the continuing coronavirus pandemic, such as making use of telemedicine to reduce the flow of people in hospitals, thereby balancing the infection risk and demand for maintaining essential health service. In fact, some public hospitals, private hospitals and telemedicine platforms have already launched video medical consultation services. Examining their experiences, what are the challenges facing telemedicine in Hong Kong?
Rethinking primary healthcare development in the wake of COVID-19 2020-06-15To focus resources on fighting the coronavirus, the Hospital Authority has suspended non-emergency services since January this year, resulting in a backlog of more than 1,000 cases. To alleviate the pressure on the public healthcare system, the society should draw on overseas experiences to unleash the potential of primary healthcare services.
Start afresh during the epidemic Expedite the long-term development of primary healthcare services in Hong Kong by drawing reference from seven selected places 2020-05-28The study ‘Moving towards universal health coverage: Overseas experiences on enhancing PHC’ examined the experiences in developing PHC services in seven selected places (England, Australia, Singapore, Canada, the Netherlands, Israel and Mainland China). By making cross-references to their vision, policy directions and initiatives, the study aims at mapping out a primary healthcare service model that suits Hong Kong most.