168 Health
The Hospital Authority has also been providing smoking counselling and cessation services through its two full-time and 30 part-time centres in public hospitals and outpatient clinics. The centres are manned by trained nurses and pharmacists who provide counselling and nicotine replacement therapy to help people stop smoking. Smokers trying to quit can make appointments or make enquiries on a hotline, called 'quit-line', operated by the Hospital Authority.
Disease Prevention and Control
The Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation, the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation, came into effect on July 14, 2008. The ordinance ensures that the laws of Hong Kong are in line with the requirements. of the International Health Regulations (2005) of the World Health Organisation and strengthens Hong Kong's infectious disease control structure so that the territory can tackle infectious diseases in a more effective manner and cope with public health emergencies.
The Department of Health spent $1,311 million on disease prevention and control at its maternal, child health and elderly health centres and other such places in the 2008-09 financial year.
Centre for Health Protection
The Centre for Health Protection has been in operation since June 1, 2004. It collaborates with its local and international counterparts to prevent and control outbreaks of diseases. It works on three principles: real-time surveillance, rapid intervention and responsive risk communication.
The centre constantly strengthens its infection surveillance and data analyses on epidemiology and health care. By setting up an effective reporting and monitoring system as well as upgrading facilities for conducting diagnosis and clinical tests, the centre has kept track of communicable diseases effectively. The centre issues surveillance reports on a regular basis, as well as reports on laboratory safety and quality assurance.
Prevention and control of, and education on known diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases were also strengthened. A board of scientific advisers, comprising experts from different disciplines, and seven scientific committees meet periodically to assist the centre in formulating effective policies to improve the local health protection system. Regular training and research programmes are also conducted.
The centre also uses health education campaigns and publicity programmes run in association with district councils to provide information and guidelines on diseases, alerting the public to health threats and facilitating rapid implementation of preventive measures. In addition, links with other health authorities and agencies on the Mainland, in Macao and at the World Health Organisation have been reinforced to share professional knowledge and experience in combating diseases.
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