According to World Health Organisation (WHO), breastfeeding is one of the most effective means to ensure child health and survival and yet currently, fewer than half of infants under 6 months old are exclusively breastfed. Therefore, a worldwide strategy is needed to promote the adoption of breastfeeding widely. With effect from 2018, the World Health Assembly endorsed a resolution on establishing World Breastfeeding Week to be held in the first week of August each year as an important health promotion strategy, aiming to promote the enabling environments that help women to breastfeed – including support in the community and the workplace, with adequate protections in government policies and laws - as well as sharing information on breastfeeding benefits and strategies. (please click)

Recently, Dr. Libby Lee, The Under Secretary for Health, chaired the ninth meeting of the Committee on Promotion of Breastfeeding to review the progress and effectiveness of various measures for promoting and supporting breastfeeding. Data revealed that the breastfeeding rate on hospital discharge still reached 85 per cent in 2022, marking a significant increase when compared to the 55 per cent recorded in 2000 despite the various constraints due to COVID-19 at the time. Dr. Lee reiterated that breastmilk offers very important nutrients to infants and young children, thereby reducing their risk of contracting serious complications while creating a protective health barrier for them. In fact, the Chief Executive proposed in the 2023 Policy Address the initiative to establish a breastmilk bank and formulate the related mechanism for breastmilk donation in 2025 to provide breastmilk for infants and young children who cannot be breastfed by their biological mothers, with a view to benefitting the premature and severely ill babies in need. (please click) Being at the forefront of community care, family doctors are in an advantageous position to help encourage breastfeeding in the community. Please keep up the excellent work in supporting mothers to breastfeed. 

The Health Bureau organised an exchange session with District Council (DC) members in promoting primary healthcare at community level earlier in the month. Dr. Libby Lee, The Under Secretary for Health, hoped that the collaboration between District Council members and District Health Centres (DHCs) will be further strengthened through the exchange sessions for driving jointly more targeted promotion of primary healthcare at the district level in the future. Dr Lee and the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr. Pang Fei-chau, briefed DC members on the concept and latest work progress of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, including participation in the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme). (please click) Since the revelation of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, the Government has been promoting community-centric and patient-centred care. Family doctors are leaders in primary healthcare and we must continue to keep up our excellent work in the community in support of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint and realise the concept of “Family Doctor for All”.

The WONCA APR Conference 2024 is to be hosted by the College of Family Physicians Singapore in Singapore from 21^st – 24^th August 2024 at the Raffles City Convention Centre. The Conference programme promises to offer both exciting educational and engaging networking opportunities amongst experts, healthcare practitioners, researchers, and peers in the field of Family Medicine. The theme for this year’s Conference is “Art & Science of Family Medicine”, aiming to focus on the myriad ways of approaching and practising Family Medicine. (please click) It will be a Conference well worth attending. 

But before that, our very own Hong Kong Primary Care Conference (HKPCC) 2024 is scheduled from 5^th to 7^th July this year and is to be held at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Building. Don’t miss this annual opportunity to meet with the primary care experts from locally and overseas and catch up with fellow colleagues and friends. We are excited to have many prominent speakers who will grace us with their presence, including Dr. LAM Ching Choi (Non-official Member, Executive Council, HKSAR; Steering Committee Member of the Primary Healthcare Development, Health Bureau, HKSAR; Chief Executive Officer, Haven of Hope Christian Service), Professor Cindy LAM (Danny D. B. Ho Professor in Family Medicine, Department of Family Medicine & Primary Care, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong), Professor Samuel WONG (Associate Dean (Education), Faculty of Medicine; Director, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong) and Professor Rodger Charlton (Professor of Undergraduate Primary Care Education, Leicester Medical School, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester). In addition to lectures, we will have a wide range of seminars, workshops, Full Research Paper/ Free Paper and Clinical Case Presentation Competitions. See you soon at the HKPCC 2024!