Welcome Message

Professor Martin Chi-sang WONG
MD, MPH
Director of Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Globally we are encountering threats from non-communicable diseases, emerging infections, and issues related to health risk behaviours. We need a well-organised primary care system which offers comprehensive, coordinated, people-centred and community-based care ensuring efficient first-contact care. To achieve this, we believe collaboration is the key – where an organised, concerted effort is essential to enhance community care.

The Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion was established to advance population health using the setting approach. Our team members consist of professionals from various disciplines, and we believe a multidisciplinary team approach will translate to better health outcomes. Founded in 2001, we first pioneered the concept of “Health Promoting Schools” (HPS) in Hong Kong to promote and improve the health of children and adolescents. Over the last decade, the Centre received substantial competitive research grants and project funding (over HK$50 million or US$6.4 million) and has published papers in international journals and book chapters on the development of framework and indicators, evaluation of effectiveness and implications of HPS. Key members of the Centre have been invited to deliver lectures and keynote speeches, and also conduct workshops domestically/overseas on many occasions (Mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States). The Centre has also been commissioned by the WHO to conduct international HPS training workshops and consultancy for Asian and Pacific Island countries and update the WHO HPS guidelines for Western Pacific Region. Many overseas delegates have visited the Centre to develop a better understanding of how the concept of HPS has been translated into the language to fit the context of the school setting. The Centre is now a global focal point for the HPS movement.

Building on the success of HPS, the Centre has also facilitated the ‘Healthy City’ movement in Hong Kong by conducting community diagnoses for various districts in Hong Kong and as a founding member of the Steering Committee of the Alliance for Healthy Cities (AFHC). The Centre developed the ‘SPIRIT’ framework to evaluate the success of Healthy City for different countries to be considered for the AFHC awards, and the Centre serves as Chairman of the AFHC Award Committee.

With a strong inter-disciplinary professional team comprising medical doctors, research fellows, a dietician, nutritionists, health promotion officers, and design and marketing personnel with a substantial understanding of the art and science of health promotion, the Centre can join up different health-promoting settings in creating a synergistic effect leading to more effective health promotion practice. The Centre has devoted itself to promoting primary care through a pioneering community-based rehabilitation programme for patients with musculoskeletal problems, chronic obstructive airway diseases, and diabetes mellitus and launched community-based weight management and fitness workshops. We designed characteristic training courses and health promotion programmes for different participants to support lifelong learning.

The Centre Director serves as the Co-Chairman of the Grant Review Board of the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF), Editor-in-Chief of the Hong Kong Medical Journal, Conveners of the Reference Framework for the management of various diseases under the Primary Healthcare Office, and member of the expert advisory panel on implementation sciences. The Director is also a Chairman of the Global Health Program (NCDs) of the Association of the Pacific Rim Universities, with an initiative to bring a substantial impact to the global society.

Let's work together to advance the health of our community through our collaborative initiatives!