HKMA Men’s Health Week, Men’s Health Matters

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 15 November 2021 – Men have always been portrayed as “strong providers” by the society. They work hard for themselves and the families which create certain amount of stress.  Busy works also make them unable to enjoy regular meals and to have work-life balance include spending time to exercise.  Such undesirable lifestyle eventually causing the strong men feel sick both physically and mentally but many of them are unaware of the body signals to seek immediate medical advice and therefore missing the golden treatment period.  Take heart disease as an example, it is one of the leading killers of men in Hong Kong.  In 2019 alone, this is the cause of registered death in 3,409 men¹. Diabetes, another common chronic disease, is also one of the top ten killers in Hong Kong.  Based on the data in 2019, more than half of the nearly 500 deaths from diabetes were men². Early symptoms of these diseases are often ignored by patients, indeed earlier detection with appropriate treatment will result in the optimal treatment effect.  To enhance the vigilance of men in Hong Kong and to deal with their own health positively, the Hong Kong Medical Association organizes the “Men’s Health Week” to arouse the concerns of men, their families and the community to men’s physical and mental health.  One cannot keep his nose clean, only the better man and the better woman can maintain a better family!

The HKMA Men’s Health Community Network is launching the Men’s Health Week during 15–20 November, and has invited doctors from different specialties to hold online continuing medical education programmes for doctors to participate.  Also, there are round table discussions and public talks scheduled for the participation of the public while the speakers and guests will share relevant health topics with the public, including “Innovation on Men’s Health”, “Substance Abuse in Men”, “Men’s Smoking Quit Guide: Be Happy and Brave” and ” Prime Time to Treat Common STDs”.

HKMA points out that the topics covered by the four public round table discussions and public talks of this “Men’s Health Week” are closely related to the health of modern men:

• Innovation on Men’s Health – Representatives of NGOs, start-ups, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks and doctors will discuss the impact of the establishment of community health centres and the development of innovative medical technology on the health care model of communities, citizens, and patients.
• Substance Abuse in Men – Guests will give an overview of the current situation of drug abuse in Hong Kong, and discuss the impact of early intervention in the setting of Accident and Emergency Services and the services provided to drug abusers through the cooperation of doctors and NGOs.
• Men’s Smoking Quit Guide: Be Happy and Brave – Smoking is extremely harmful to health. Smoking-related male diseases include cancer, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, reproductive system diseases, and male sexual dysfunction. The psychiatrist will explain how to help men quit smoking.
• Prime Time to Treat Common STDs – Sexually Transmitted Diseases may have a long or short incubation periods, and the symptoms may not be obvious or even have no symptoms causing them be easily overlooked.  Infectious disease specialist encourages men to seek medical advice as soon as possible if their sexual organs have wounds, blisters, frequent urination, and milky discharge from the urethra so as to reduce the chance of complications.

“Men’s Health Week” provides free events that welcomes the general public to participate.  At the same time, there are 12 sessions of continuing medical education programmes specially designed for local and overseas doctors.  The contents include substance abuse, benign prostatic hyperplasia, male infertility, heart disease and diabetes, infectious diseases and male sexual dysfunction, etc.  It provides opportunities for in-depth medical discussions with local and overseas’ doctors and scholars, and hopes to further uplift the level of the medical profession in Hong Kong.

HKMA hopes that “Men’s Health Week” will raise men’s health awareness and call on the whole of Hong Kong to pay attention to men’s health issues, so as to improve the health of the general public.  HKMA also hopes that the government will introduce appropriate policy regarding the issue so that men can maintain their physical and mental health and become truly “strong providers”.

The Hong Kong Medical Association held the opening ceremony of “Men’s Health Week” today, November 15. Dr. CHOI Kin, HKMA President, and Dr. The Honorable LAM Ching Choi, SBS, JP, member of the Executive Council, are invited to share men’s health information and suggestions to the media.

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Dr. CHOI Kin is delivering the opening remark.

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