Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau chaired the 14th meeting of the Steering Committee on Prevention & Control of Non-Communicable Diseases today.

The implementation of “Towards 2025: Strategy & Action Plan to Prevent & Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong” was reviewed, and the strategies and measures in tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was discussed.

Representatives of the Environment & Ecology Bureau, the Education Bureau, the Department of Health, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department, the Hospital Authority and relevant organisations attended the meeting.

Committee members are aware that like many other countries and regions, Hong Kong is facing an ageing population and an increasing threat of NCDs.

In 2022, the major NCDs - cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, accounted for some 45% of all registered deaths in Hong Kong.

The Government attaches great importance to the prevention and control of NCDs. The Department of Health conducted the third city-wide population health survey between 2020 to 2022 to collect information on health status, health-related behaviours and practices of the local population.

The committee noted that the two parts of the population health survey report were respectively released in December 2022 and April this year.

At the meeting, members also discussed the Primary Healthcare Blueprint, the public consultation on tobacco control strategies as well as the implementation progress of the work of prevention and control of NCDs.

The Government has been strenuously taking forward the relevant work of the blueprint since its publication in December last year in a bid to build a prevention-centred primary healthcare system.

Members supported the Government in launching the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme in the fourth quarter of this year.

Targeted subsidies will be provided to Hong Kong citizens aged 45 or above and have no unknown medical history of hypertension or diabetes mellitus as an incentive for them to match with a family doctor of their own choice.

On tobacco control, the Government launched a public consultation on tobacco control strategies this July, inviting the public to express their views on the tobacco control work for the next phase. The consultation period will last until September 30.

The Department of Health has all along been promoting a healthy lifestyle as the primary strategy for preventing NCDs. At the meeting, members also discussed ways to encourage students to work out more.

Additionally, the department promotes healthy eating through a series of activities. It has been promoting a healthy lifestyle to prevent the occurrence of cancers, making every effort to step up education related to cancers and launching various cancer screening programmes.