The Hong Kong College of Family Physicians’ 36th Fellowship Conferment and Diploma Presentation Ceremony, and the 33rd Dr. Sun Yat Sen Oration have been held successfully on 25th June, 2023 at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Building. This year, I have the great honour of welcoming Dr. Nicole Higgins, the new President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, who has travelled all the way from Australia to join our Conjoint Fellowship Conferment Ceremony. We have had plenty of opportunities to discuss, share, and exchange ideas on how to further enhance the roles of general practice in our localities. I am most grateful towards Dr. Higgins for giving her full support towards further strengthening the collaborations between our two Colleges, in enhancing the quality of Family Medicine education, training and assessment. I look forward to continue working closely with Dr. Higgins and the RACGP and wish the RACGP every success in the forthcoming WONCA World Conference to be held from 26th – 29th October 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

We have been most privileged to have Dr. Libby Lee, Under Secretary of Health, Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR as our 33rd Dr. Sun Yat Sen Orator delivering her Oration entitled “Reform on the Road”. Dr. Lee shared with us her thoughts about healthcare systems and health status in developed countries as well as that in our locality. Ageing and chronic diseases are becoming more challenging to handle and they are putting our local healthcare system under increasing strains. Dr. Lee reiterated the important role of primary healthcare and emphasised the central role of family physicians in the Primary Healthcare Blueprint as well as pointed out healthcare financing is an essential area to ponder upon. Dr. Lee also pointed out the importance of professionalism and the key elements required to support professionalism. Dr. Lee has kindly agreed to have her Oration published in a future issue of our College journal, the Hong Kong Practitioner. Do stay tuned for the full article for more details.

Once again, I would like to congratulate our new Conjoint Fellows, successful candidates of the Exit Examination and Diplomates of Family Medicine for their great achievements as their hard work and dedications over the years have been duly recognised.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ongoing support from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) towards our Family Medicine vocational training programme and the Conjoint Fellowship Examination; the Government for the continuing support in the further development of primary care services and training; WONCA and colleagues from around the globe for the friendship and promotion of Family Medicine; the Universities for Family Medicine education, research and development; and the Hospital Authority, the training centres in the private sector, the Academy of Medicine and sister Colleges for supporting our Family Medicine vocational training.

Riding on the opportunities provided by the recent launching of healthcare reform and Primary Healthcare Blueprint announced by the Government, we have organised the Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2023 entitled, “Flourishing Primary Care: Family Doctor for Everyone” from 23rd – 25th June, 2023. Indeed, we have great pleasure in bringing together international and local experts, Family Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and other primary care providers in sharing their expertise and experiences during the recent Conference. The Scientific Programme has been richly packed with plenaries and seminar sessions, including hot topics on the role of Family Doctors in primary healthcare development, challenges related to primary care practice, chronic disease management, preventive care, use of technology and innovation, medical social collaboration, clinical updates, and a variety of practical workshops. The full research paper competition, clinical case competition, e-posters and e-booths exhibitions have been quite popular.

The Health Bureau recently launched the Vibrant, Healthy and Tobacco-free Hong Kong public consultation on future tobacco control strategies (please click). Professor Lo Chung-mau, the Secretary for Health, stated in the launching that there were nearly 600 000 daily smokers in Hong Kong, with one out of every two smokers aged 50 or above. Moreover, it has been noted that the actual number of female smokers is on the rise and over 7 per cent of secondary school students have been tempted to smoke. Therefore, it is high time to further enhance the tobacco control policy so that the advertising effect and appeal of tobacco products can be more effectively reduced, preventing the public, especially young people, from smoking out of curiosity. A consultation document (available at the thematic website www.tobacco-free.gov.hk) has been drawn up by the Government. The document highlights four strategies including, 1. Regulate Supply, Suppress Demand; 2, Ban Promotion, Reduce Attractiveness; 3. Expand No Smoking Areas, Mitigate Harm; and 4. Enhance Education, Support Cessation. The public are invited to express their opinions on the enhanced tobacco control work to be implemented in the near future, via the online questionnaire available on the thematic website (please click) and the consultation period is open till 30th September, 2023. Do give your views for a better tobacco control policy!