Secretary for Health Prof Lo Chung-mau yesterday attended the start of the 78th World Health Assembly, the decision-making forum of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Geneva, Switzerland.

Matters being discussed at this year’s assembly include universal health coverage, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, health emergency preparedness, mental health, standardisation of medical device nomenclature, and international health regulations.

Prof Lo is attending the assembly as a member of the Chinese delegation. At a plenary session on the opening day, Minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) Lei Haichao delivered a speech on healthcare developments on the Mainland.

In addition to attending the plenary session, Prof Lo participated in a side meeting involving the WHO’s Director of Global HIV, Hepatitis & Sexually Transmitted Infections Programmes Meg Doherty.

The meeting included a discussion of work to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), syphilis and hepatitis B, also known as “triple elimination”.

Professor Lo outlined that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has undertaken “triple elimination” work according to the WHO’s guidance, and may submit a request for validation of “triple elimination” to the WHO this year.

“We will maintain close communication with the Regional Office for the Western Pacific Regional Validation Secretariat to push forward the relevant progress,” he said.

During a meeting with the WHO’s acting Assistant Director-General, Antimicrobial Resistance Yukiko Nakatani, Prof Lo stressed that the Hong Kong SAR Government takes the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance extremely seriously and has launched two editions of a strategy and action plan, the most recent being published in 2022.

“A series of corresponding prevention and control measures have been implemented across different sectors to curb the spread of antimicrobial resistance under the framework of ‘One Health’, including surveillance, optimising the use of antimicrobials, health education and training.”

The health chief also met Permanent Secretary (Policy & Development) of Singapore’s Ministry of Health Lai Wei Lin to discuss communicable disease prevention and surveillance, epidemiological investigations, responses to communicable diseases with significant public health impacts, actions to combat antimicrobial resistance, and regulation of drugs and medical devices.

Professor Lo said: “We eagerly anticipate further synergising the efforts and sharing the best practices of the two places to bolster public health protection and promote medical innovation to deepen the reform of the medical and healthcare system.”

In the evening, Professor Lo attended a side event cohosted by the NHC and the health authorities of Ethiopia, Peru, Tanzania and Thailand. The event was moderated by Dean of the Vanke School of Public Health of the Tsinghua University Prof Margaret Chan, with Mr Lei delivering a keynote speech.

Upon arriving in Geneva on Sunday, Professor Lo met Mr Lei and Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the UN Office at Geneva and other International Organizations in Switzerland Chen Xu to discuss healthcare developments in the Mainland and Hong Kong as well as Hong Kong’s participation in WHO work.