Press Releases
SFH calls for more public acceptance of people with HIV (with photo)
The Government, together with non-governmental organisations, has made
strenuous efforts in the past years to actively promote the elimination of
discrimination against people with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and
provide practical support services to help them integrate into normal life,
the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, said today (November 30).
Addressing the ceremony for the premiere of the microfilm "Love. Zero AIDS"
and the launch of the World AIDS Campaign 2012 today, Dr Ko said, "We need a
more inclusive community. We hope the society can understand the situation
and the struggles faced by HIV-infected people, show more acceptance and
support to them, and let them receive appropriate treatment and services to
get back to normal social life."
Dr Ko pointed out that the local HIV infection rate has remained at a low
level compared with those of neighbouring regions and countries, but said
the HIV/AIDS situation is dynamic and constantly influenced by many factors
such as population movement, new social media, social culture and
subcultures.
As of the second quarter this year, the cumulative total of reported HIV
infections had reached 5,523, with a record high of 438 new cases recorded
last year, representing a 12.6 per cent increase over 2010's figure. Sexual
contact remained the major mode of HIV transmission in Hong Kong. Of the 438
new cases, 188 acquired the infection via homosexual or bisexual exposure.
In view of a rising trend in HIV prevalence among the men who have sex with
men (MSM) community, the Council for the AIDS Trust Fund had swiftly
expanded the scale of the preventive and control measures for the MSM
community through a special project fund.
As of March this year, the AIDS Trust Fund supported more than 620
programmes on the prevention and control of the spread of AIDS, with a sum
of funding amounting to over $410 million. Through various projects, the
co-operation among Hong Kong, the Mainland and the United Nations has been
strengthened on the fronts of AIDS surveillance, health promotion and
exchanges of technical expertise.
"In future, the Government will continue to enhance the existing work,
mobilise efforts from different sectors of the community, and maintain a
high quality of medical treatment and health-care services. I believe with
the concerted efforts of the Government and civil organisations, the
prevention and control of AIDS can be further strengthened and we can build
up a better social environment for HIV-infected people," said Dr Ko.
World AIDS Day on December 1 brings together people from around the world to
raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in
the face of the pandemic. To echo the World AIDS Day, the Government and
AIDS concerned parties launched a series of activities to raise public
awareness of the disease and promote acceptance of people with HIV.
Major activities this year comprise the ceremony for the premiere of the
microfilm "Love. Zero AIDS" and the launch of the World AIDS Day Campaign
2012, the World AIDS Campaign 2012 Cantonese radio programme jointly
organised by Radio Television Hong Kong Radio 2 and the Department of
Health's Red Ribbon Centre, the Red Ribbon Concert 2012 organised by the Red
Ribbon Centre, and the promotion of safer sex and HIV testing.
Other officiating guests at the ceremony today included the Director of
Health, Dr Constance Chan, the Controller of the Centre for Health
Protection of the Department of Health, Dr Thomas Tsang; the Deputy Director
of Broadcasting (Developments), Miss Tai Shuk-yiu; the Deputy Director of
the Shenzhen Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Ma Han-wu; the
Secretary General of the AIDS Prevention and Control Commission, Macao
Special Administrative Region Government, Dr Lam Chong; the Chairperson of
the Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS, Dr Susan Fan; the Chairman of the
Council for the AIDS Trust Fund, Dr Matthew Ng; and the Chairman of the Red
Ribbon Centre Management Advisory Committee, Dr Richard Tan.
Ends/Friday, November 30, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:01
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