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8 Dec 2022 |
The FPAHK’s 67th Annual General Meeting
The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (The FPAHK) held its 67th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today. The new Chairman and Council Members were elected. The FPAHK was honoured to be graced by the presence of Dr. Ronald Lam, Director of Health, as the Guest of Honour.
In his address to the AGM, The FPAHK’s Chairman Dr. Cheung Kai Bun said that in view of an increasing demand for sexual and reproductive health services in the North West New Territories, alongside the development of the Northern Metropolis and the related transport infrastructure in the coming decades, The FPAHK was planning to re-develop its branch building in Yuen Long near the MTR Long Ping Station to increase its service capacity. A working group had been set up to work on the re-development planning as well as the direction and model of service plan.
Concerning cervical cancer prevention in Hong Kong, Dr. Cheung said that the coverage of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is rising significantly since its provision to primary five and six female students under the Government’s childhood immunisation programme starting from the 2019/20 school year. Lagging behind are the secondary school girls. Furthermore, HPV vaccination plans were interrupted by the COVID-2019 pandemic. He revealed that, in addition to setting boosting HPV vaccination coverage as one of its priorities in the new normal, the Association planned to explore more options beyond cytological testing for cervical cancer screening by including high-risk HPV testing to maximize the benefits for its clients.
The FPAHK’s Executive Director Dr. Mona Lam reported on the Association’s major works and accomplishments in the past year. She said that in July 2022, The FPAHK’s Women’s Clubs collaborated with the Jockey Club CADENZA Hub and four other social service organizations to launch the Jockey Club "Shining Journey 50+" Women Wellness Programme with funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The 3-year programme is the first of its kind in Hong Kong catered for middle-aged women of 50 to 64 years, based on The World Health Organization’s Guideline on Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE). Undertaken by cross-disciplinary professionals, the programme comprises a diverse variety of services, including educational talks, women’s health screenings, experiential workshops, key intervention programmes, volunteer trainings, service referrals and women’s health tips, etc. The programme aims to enhance women’s inner capacities with a holistic approach, encouraging them to take early action to cultivate a healthy lifestyle in preparation for a new life chapter.
Concluding the AGM, Dr. Cheung extended the gratitude of the Association to the Government, volunteers, donors and service users for their generous support and contributions. He also expressed his appreciation for the great efforts of all the staff, especially frontline healthcare workers, to fill the gaps when their counterparts in the public sector fought the battle against the pandemic. He announced the good news that The FPAHK had been granted re-accreditation by the International Planned Parenthood Federation, representing that the Association had fulfilled all the standards and responsibilities as a full member.
The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong Annual Report 2021-2022 has been uploaded onto the FPAHK Website (www.famplan.org.hk/en).