Press Releases

Applications for Health Care and Promotion Fund invited

The Food and Health Bureau is inviting non-profit-making organisations to submit grant applications for the Health Care and Promotion Fund (HCPF) to conduct non-research health promotion projects.

A spokesman for the bureau said today (May 4) that this was the 22nd application call for non-research health promotion projects that helped people adopt healthier lifestyles by enhancing awareness, changing behaviour or creating an environment that supported good health practices.

"Priority for funding is given to grant applications targeting underprivileged groups who are at risk of ill-health, and health promotion programmes carried out in primary care settings," the spokesman said.

Higher funding priorities will be accorded to the following thematic areas:

I. Tobacco control
* Empowering youth, women or high-pressure career workers to abstain from smoking
* Motivating smokers to cease smoking

II. Lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity
* Enhancing government initiatives toward healthy eating and regular physical exercise
* Equipping the younger generation to adopt healthy lifestyle practices, for example, avoiding unhealthy habits, dangerous sex and maintaining healthy body mass index

III. Mental well-being
* Promoting awareness of the importance of positive mental health, and early detection and treatment of mental health problems
* Equipping underprivileged groups with the knowledge and skills in stress management
* Reducing stigma associated with mental health problems

IV. Injury prevention
* Engaging the community in reducing injury related to falls and transport accidents
* Preventing unintentional injuries in children

The closing date of applications is July 31. All applications will be subject to rigorous review by the Health Care and Promotion Fund Committee and its sub-committee, the Promotion Sub-committee, which comprises health care professionals and experts, individuals closely involved in community affairs, and government representatives.

Successful applicants may be awarded full or partial support normally not exceeding $300,000 on a one-off basis.

The HCPF was established by the Government in 1995 for the purpose of strengthening health promotion and disease prevention work. A total of 148 health promotion projects have so far been supported.

Guidance notes and application forms (Application Form P for non-research health promotion projects) can be obtained from the Research Fund Secretariat, Food and Health Bureau, 18/F, Murray Building, Garden Road, Central, or the website at www.fhb.gov.hk/grants. Enquiries can be made by fax at 3150 8993 or by email to rfs@fhb.gov.hk.


Ends/Sunday, May 4, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:00

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