Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ16: Student Health Service
Following is a question by the Dr Hon Joseph Lee and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today
(February 25):
Question:
Regarding the Student Health Service implemented by the Department of Health
(DH), will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number of health education talks organised for secondary and primary
schools by the Student Health Service Centres (SHSCs) under DH in each of the
past three years, and the numbers of participating schools and students each
year;
(b) of the numbers and percentages of secondary and primary school students who
received services provided by SHSCs in each of the past three years;
(c) why the Junior Health Pioneer Workshops organised by DH only targets Primary
Three students who have joined the Student Health Service, instead of all
primary school students;
(d) of the numbers of talks and activities organised under the Adolescent Health
Programme implemented by DH in each of the past three years, and the numbers and
percentages of participating schools and students each year; and
(e) whether talks on health promotion had been organised at the district level
for secondary and primary schools as well as pre-primary institutions in the
past three years; if so, of the number of talks organised each year and the
number of participants; if not, whether it will consider organising such talks;
if not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The Department of Health (DH) organises health talks in its 12 Student
Health Service Centres (SHSCs). Students may attend the talks through
arrangements made by their schools, or by themselves or in the company of their
parents. Hence, the DH usually counts the attendance at the health talks in
terms of the number of participants instead of the number of schools. The number
of health talks organised by the DH in its SHSCs and the number of participants
in the past three academic years are shown in Table 1.
(b) The number of secondary and primary students participating in the Student
Health Service (SHS) and their percentage in the total secondary and primary
student population in the past three academic years are shown in Table 2.
(c) The DH's "Junior Health Pioneer Workshops" (the Workshops) were first
introduced in the 2007-08 academic year as subject talks for Primary Three
students to help them understand the harmful effects of smoking, abuse of
psychotropic substance and excessive drinking, and stand firm against any ill
temptations. The number of participating Primary Three students accounted for
about 85% of the total number of Primary Three students in Hong Kong in the
2007-08 academic year.
The service targets of the Workshops are Primary Three students aged eight to
nine who are slightly older than Primary One and Two students. They generally
have some knowledge of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, and may even have exposure to
such ill temptations. Making them aware of the harmful effects of tobacco,
alcohol and drugs as early as possible would help equip them with refusal
skills.
(d) The number of talks and activities organised for secondary students under
the Adolescent Health Programme (AHP) of the DH; the number of participating
schools; the number of participating students and their percentage in the total
number of secondary schools and secondary student population in the past three
academic years are shown in Table 3.
Besides, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, Education Bureau and Social
Welfare Department have jointly organised the "Positive Adolescent Training
through Holistic Social Programmes" (the Scheme) since the 2005-06 academic
year. Also targeting young people, the Scheme aims to develop their competence
in various aspects, promote their bonding with others, and develop healthy
beliefs and clear values in them.
(e) From 2006 to 2008, the DH organised 3,259 talks on health promotion at the
district level for secondary and primary schools as well as pre-primary
institutions, with a total number of 24,840 participants.
Ends/Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:56
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