Press Release
AIDS CONCERN FOUNDATION LIMITED AND THE INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY
RECOGNISE HONG KONG HEALTHCARE CHAMPIONS
Ms. CHAN Nga Ki Kristy, Dr. LEE Man-po, Dr. SIT Yao-wai Alfred and Dr. Barry TAM (in alphabetical order of surnames) have been selected in the global ‘Me and My Healthcare Provider’ campaign for exemplary leadership in stigma-free HIV care service delivery
Hong Kong, 1 March 2022 – AIDS Concern Foundation Limited (AIDS Concern) in partnership with IAS – the International AIDS Society –, today has honoured Ms. CHAN Nga Ki Kristy, Dr. LEE Man-po, Dr. SIT Yao-wai Alfred and Dr. Barry TAM in Hong Kong as Me and My Healthcare Provider Champions. This distinguished award celebrates the healthcare providers around the world who are delivering quality HIV prevention, treatment and care services to key populations, often in the face of stigma. This year awards go to health professionals from Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The ‘Me and My Healthcare Provider’ campaign is driven by key populations affected by HIV, giving them an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of healthcare providers who have made a tangible difference in their lives.
Description of local Healthcare Champions:
- CHAN Nga Ki Kristy is a registered nurse working in PS33 Counselling Service for Psychotropic Substance Abusers, Tsimshatsui Centre of Hong Kong Christian Service.
- LEE Man-po is the consultant in charge of HIV Clinical Service in the Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He is also the President of the Hong Kong Society for HIV Medicine (HKSHM).
- SIT Yao-wai Alfred is working as the Medical and Health Officer in the Red Ribbon Centre, Centre of Health Protection, Department of Health of Hong Kong SAR since 2015.
- Barry TAM is currently a Clinical Psychologist working in a public hospital in Hong Kong, serving people living with HIV (PLHIV) since 2016.
“Only by tackling stigma within healthcare settings can we truly achieve the elimination of HIV by 2030. This Zero Discrimination Day, we hope that by shining a light on the incredible work of healthcare professionals, others will be galvanized to provide safe, stigma-free health services for their clients,” said IAS president Adeeba Kamarulzaman
“In this campaign, we celebrate our local healthcare workers who have positively impacted their clients on a global platform. Empowering healthcare providers to have conversations and share critical information with both people living with HIV and vulnerable to HIV acquisition is powerful. We can see a real change in increasing testing and adherence to life-saving HIV treatment. It is important to see the big picture of HIV prevention and consider the impact of doctor-client relationships and partners in eliminating HIV in Hong Kong,” said Andrew Chidgey, Chief Executive of AIDS Concern.
Launched in 2015, Me & My Healthcare Provider promotes best practices in health service delivery by championing frontline healthcare workers who deliver quality HIV prevention, treatment and care, often in the face of discriminatory laws, stigmatizing traditions and belief systems. In 2021, with the support of Gilead Sciences, the IAS expanded the Me & My Healthcare Provider campaign to two locations in Asia: Hong Kong and Taiwan, and continued the program in two locations in Latin America: Brazil and Mexico.
The Healthcare Champions and their nominators will be invited to join AIDS 2022, the 24th International AIDS Conference, virtually and attend a broad range of stigma-related events and activities where they can share their best practice examples.
About AIDS Concern
AIDS Concern was established in 1990 as the first non-government charity organisation committed to the service of AIDS care in Hong Kong. The founders were a group of volunteers from different backgrounds dedicated to improving the living standards for people living with HIV; and to stop the spread of HIV.
We strongly believe that the key to effectively stop the spread of HIV is establishing close communication with communities most vulnerable to transmission and exposure.
According to our experience, one of the biggest challenges to our mission is the social stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV face, which directly affects their treatments and quality of life. Hence, we invest our resources into providing public health education and awareness programs to create a more supportive society by eliminating misunderstandings about HIV/AIDS.
We can give a helping hand to people most in need if we have an open society which supports early testing and treatment.
About IAS
IAS – the International AIDS Society – convenes, educates and advocates for a world in which HIV no longer presents a threat to public health and individual well-being. After the emergence of HIV and AIDS, concerned scientists created the IAS to bring together experts from across the world and disciplines to promote a concerted HIV response.
Today, the IAS and its members unite scientists, policy makers and activists to galvanize the scientific response, build global solidarity and enhance human dignity for all those living with and affected by HIV.
The IAS also hosts the world’s most prestigious HIV conferences: the International AIDS Conference, the IAS Conference on HIV Science and the HIV Research for Prevention Conference.
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For more information on Gilead Sciences, please visit the company’s website at www.gilead.com, follow Gilead on Twitter (@GileadSciences) or call Gilead Public Affairs at 1-800-GILEAD-5 or 1-650-574-3000.
MEDIA CONTACTS
AIDS Concern – Ericson Szeto
ericson.szeto@aidsconcern.org.hk
IAS – Nelli Barrière
nelli.barriere@iasociety.org