e-Bulletin October 2024

From the World Summit to the Hong Kong Summit
Comprehensive Primary Health Care from Global to Local

Last week I had the privilege of joining Dean CS Lau in representing the University of Hong Kong at the World Health Summit (WHS) in Berlin. The HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine was inducted this year into the elite membership of the WHS Academic Alliance. The Alliance includes 30 leading health and medical institutions from 19 countries around the globe, including the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and National University of Singapore.

HKU’s entry into the Alliance is not just a recognition of our contributions to public health but also a testament to the importance of Hong Kong in the global health landscape. In his speech to the Alliance the Dean pointed out the faculty’s many contributions to global health and he spoke with pride about our School’s accomplishments in research and preparing a future workforce for Asia in global health.

Major accomplishments at the Summit included pledges of over $1 billion in contributions to the World Health Organization and the launch of a roadmap for halving premature death by mid-century. This roadmap relies on population-based interventions that are being developed and taught on our campus every single day. We have earned our place of global pre-eminence and we are applying these lessons locally.

The coming November 8 and 9, the Comprehensive Primary Healthcare (PHC) Summit will document Hong Kong’s efforts to integrate public health approaches with clinical primary medical care. Guest speakers from around the world will join members of our Faculty and School as we truly think globally and act locally. “Comprehensive” PHC means making a place’s water, air, food, buildings, workplaces, roads, parks, population immunity, and peer effects conducive to physical and mental health. PHC also ensures that when they are sick, people can get access to high quality dignified services.

We can be incredibly proud of our global recognition and look forward to continuing our work in applying our science in Hong Kong and around the world.

Professor David Bishai
Director and Clinical Professor
School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong

Endowed Professorship Awardees
Significant Contributions to Public Health and Virology

We are delighted to announce that three of our distinguished professors have been awarded Endowed Professorship from the University:

• Professor Ben Cowling: Helen and Francis Zimmern Professorship in Population Health
• Professor Leo Poon: Daniel C K Yu Professorship in Virology
• Professor Joseph Wu: Sir Robert Kotewall Professorship in Public Health

Their achievements reflect their dedication and leadership in public health and virology, locally and globally.

The School extends our heartfelt congratulations to them on this prestigious recognition.

World Mental Health Day
Enhancing Life Satisfaction and Well-Being

World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10, reminds us of the importance of mental health and its impact on our overall well-being. Despite Hong Kong having one of the longest life expectancies, a global poll reveals that life satisfaction among its residents is among the lowest. This paradox highlights the critical role of mental health in overall well-being.

Faculty at our School study mental health’s contribution to health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. The  recent longitudinal, multivariate Environment-Wide Association Study (EWAS) led by Professor Michael Ni and other researchers has validated the correlation between depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and happiness as simultaneously associated with physical, mental, and social well-being.

Their findings provide empirical support for the WHO’s assertion that “there is no health without mental health”.

By addressing depressive symptoms, enhancing life satisfaction, and fostering happiness, we can work towards a healthier, more fulfilled society.

National Disease Control Delegation Visits HKUMed for Collaborative Discussions
Forging Future Public Health Collaborations

On September 3, 2024, the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration delegation visited the LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.

During their visit, they engaged in a productive meeting with professors from our School. The discussions centred on disease transmission, control, and prevention insights. Both parties expressed a strong desire to collaborate on future projects, emphasising the importance of integrating the University’s research findings into national disease prevention policies. This collaboration aims to address various public health challenges and enhance the overall health and well-being of the community. The visit concluded with a tour of our laboratory facilities guided by Professor Leo Poon.

Seminar by Dr Gen Li
Introduction of BMC Global and Public Health

Dr Gen Li, PhD, a Shanghai-based Associate Editor, visited our School on September 12, 2024, to introduce the new BMC flagship journal, BMC Global and Public Health, launched last year.

The visit included discussions of publication opportunities and potential roles related to pandemic preparedness, NCDs, and global and public health modelling. Dr Li also shared his insights and engaged in a fruitful discussion with the participants.

Orientation Week
Welcome to School of Public Health Family

We are thrilled to greet our new cohorts of BASc in Global Health and Development (GHD), Master of Public Health (MPH), and Research Postgraduate (RPg) students and welcome them to our School. Orientation Week was a vibrant start to students’ academic journey; it was filled with insightful sessions, engaging activities, and opportunities to connect with peers and our School.

GHD

We are excited to announce that 25 students have been admitted to the 2024 BASc(GHD) programme intake. The students attended a welcoming lunch with the Programme Director, Professor Pui-hong Chung, and other GHD teachers, including Professor Ryan Au Yeung, Professor Chao Quan, and Dr Andrew Park. Following lunch, students joined the programme induction, where Professor Chung shared highlights of the BASc(GHD) curriculum, while Dr Park shared the importance of academic integrity. Students then met with the GHD Society and got to know each other through ice-breaking games.

MPH

Highlights included an inspiring welcome address from our School Director and Clinical Professor Professor David Bishai, MPH alumni sharing session, and a medical campus tour that showcased our laboratories and facilities.

RPg Orientation

We are delighted to welcome our new RPg students to the exciting journey ahead. During the Orientation Session, they had the opportunity to meet our School Director and Clinical Professor, Professor David Bishai; Chairperson of the Department Research Postgraduate Committee, Professor Ben Cowling; and other supervisors. This session provided an in-depth introduction to the RPg programme and marked the beginning of their academic journey with us.

Visit of Professor SV Subramanian from Harvard University
Enlightening Sharing with MPH Students

We were honoured to host Professor SV Subramanian, our esteemed MPH External Examiner, in September 2024. As Population Health and Geography Professor and Chair of the Faculty Advisory Group for the Center for Geographic Analysis at Harvard University, Professor Subramanian shared invaluable insights and feedback during the review process.

Our MPH students had an opportunity to engage with him during an exclusive sharing session. The visit was concluded by a meeting with our School Director and Clinical Professor, Professor David Bishai; MPH Academic Director, Professor Wendy Lam; and the MPH examiners.

Coffee & Careers
Exploring Public Health and Global Health Careers – A Discussion with Professor Vivian Lin

The Professional Development Hub regularly organises enlightening Coffee and Career talks. These events foster interactive discussions among students, staff, graduates, and the general public. On October 10, 2024, one such event featured Professor Vivian Lin, a renowned expert in the field of public and global health.

Professor Lin engaged in dynamic dialogue with a diverse in-person and online audience. The discussion focused on Professor Lin’s career development in public and global health. She shared invaluable insights from her extensive experience working in diverse regions globally, providing a unique perspective that inspired the attendees.

The event concluded with a Q&A session moderated by Dr Polly Wong, sparking stimulating exchanges of ideas and insights. Participants left with much to ponder, gaining substantial knowledge and inspiration.

OPTIONS XII for the Control of Influenza
Pioneering Strategies for Global Health

Held in Brisbane, Australia from September 29 to October 2, 2024, OPTIONS XII 2024 brought together leading experts and researchers in the field of respiratory viruses and provided a platform for exchanging insightful ideas and advancement. The School was strongly represented by over 50 staff members and RPg students. Professor Malik Peiris delivered an inspiring plenary talk on the last day of the conference during the Zoonotic Infection/Emerging Viruses session, reminding us of the threat of MERS-CoV.

Professor Michael Chan was invited to deliver a keynote talk on the use of organoids for risk assessments of emerging respiratory viruses. Other faculty members who gave talks included Professors Sheikh Tasnim Ali, Ben Cowling, Nancy Leung, Mark Zanin, and Dr Jessica Wong, while RPg students Zhong Shuyi, Xiong Weijia, Clarice Guo, and Isaac Chow were selected for oral presentations. Isaac Chow, a PhD student from Professor Sook-san Wong’s team, received an award for the best oral presentation in the category “Interdisciplinary Science”, and Dr Dillon Adam was selected for the best poster presentation in the category “Public Health and Policy”.

Xiao Cheng from Professor Sook-san Wong’s team shared, “As a PhD student, attending the OPTIONS XII was a truly inspiring experience. The University and faculty provided me with this great opportunity to engage and interactively learn from leading researchers and fellow students in the field of respiratory viruses and further exchange ideas with them. It brought me closer to cutting-edge advances in related research, and broadened my understanding of the current challenges and necessary work to prepare for future epidemics and pandemics.”

NAM-HKU Fellowship in Global Health Leadership
Nurturing Future Global Health Leaders

With the generous donation of the Suen Chi Sun Charitable Foundation, the School is most pleased to announce that we are calling for applications for the 2025-26 cohort of the NAM-HKU Fellowship in Global Health Leadership.

Targeting early to mid-career scholars, the Fellowship aims to provide a two-year training for the awardee to learn and work at HKU SPH and the U.S. National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in global health leadership. The training programme includes scholarship to undertake the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme and research attachment at HKU SPH, and two 3-month residential experience at the NAM in Washington, D.C., U.S.

We shall be most grateful if you can help disseminate this fellowship opportunity to colleagues, friends, and associates in your network.  Please click here for details.

The deadline for application is November 15, 2024, HKT (Friday). For enquiry, please email namhku@hku.hk.

Publications in August and September 2024
Scholars’ Output Highlighted

The followings are papers published by SPH researchers in August and September 2024:

Remarks:

• This list is compiled by searching in Scopus using the keywords “School of Public Health, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong” for August and September 2024
• * Member of School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong
• Arranged by date of publication

Public Health Newspaper Column
Bringing Real-life Impact to Community

As an institution of intellectual development, creativity and informed social awareness, the School of Public Health strives to apply our expertise through knowledge exchange to contribute to the local and global community.

Our scholars were invited to contribute articles in the Faculty weekly column of Oriental Daily News （東方日報）to share evidence-based health knowledge with members of the public. The following articles (Chinese only) were published in August 2024:

飲酒與患癌的關係
Professor Ryan Au Yeung, Assistant Professor
August 24, 2024

培育同理心與溝通技巧對現代醫學教育的重要
Dr Cecilia Tam, Lecturer
August 31, 2024

Extended Paid Maternity Leave in Hong Kong Associated with a 22% Decrease in Postnatal Depression
New Study Highlights Significant Benefits

A research team from our School and the School of Nursing, HKUMed, Duke-NUS Medical School (Singapore), and the University of British Columbia (Canada) found that extending Hong Kong’s statutory paid maternity leave from 10 to 14 weeks in 2020 led to a significant improvement in maternal mental health. The study revealed a 22% decrease in postnatal depressive symptoms among mothers and a 33% reduction in mothers reporting that baby care interfered with their emotional well-being. The findings were published in the healthcare journal Health Affairs [link to the publication].

According to Professor Chao Quan, Clinical Assistant Professor in our School, the extension did not lead to more mothers exiting the workforce. The new policy thus supports the retention of highly skilled and educated female workers.

“Even a modest change in policy – an additional four weeks of paid leave – was associated with significant mental health benefits,” said Professor Quan.

Patient Care Project (PCP) Student Visit
Students in Local Community

This year, the Patient Care Project (PCP), an interdisciplinary, community-based educational programme, commenced in mid-September. In this project, students have the opportunity to engage with patients who have long-term conditions. This interaction helps students gain insight into patients’ experiences with their illnesses and how they manage their health on a daily basis. Additionally, students develop the skills to navigate and identify community-based resources that address the needs of various populations.

On October 14, 2024, a group of HKUMed students had their first visit at Rehabilitation Alliance Hong Kong. Wong Ka Hei, a second-year BNurs student, reflected, “The PCP programme enables students from different healthcare disciplines to collaborate and engage meaningfully with patients living with chronic conditions. Through the interview process, my group gained invaluable insights into the needs and feelings of the elderly. This experience allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and gain exposure to the forefront of societal care.”

He also emphasised the importance of creating a safe space for patients to express themselves. “It is important for nursing students to learn how to care for patients while recognising their diverse needs within the community. This experience has inspired me to continue my professional and personal growth.”

Students will continue to actively engage with the assigned patients, gain a deeper understanding of their needs, and explore available services provided by different community partner sites. More importantly, each engagement helps strengthen students’ emphatic and communication techniques to better serve the community.

Distinguished Lecture by Professor David M. Cutler
Survival of the City: Living and Thriving in an Era of Pandemic Disease

Join us for a Distinguished Lecture by Professor David M. Cutler, Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics, Harvard University on “Survival of the City: Living and Thriving in an Era of Pandemic Disease”. Details are as follows: