|
Date: May 23, 2008 (Friday)
Time: 12:30 – 14:00 (sandwich lunch from 12:30 –12:45; seminar begins at 12:45)
Venue: Seminar Room 1, G/F, Laboratory Block, Faculty of Medicine Building, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Abstract:
This presentation will discuss the recent Lancet series (Lancet Vol 370 Dec2007) which
postulates that the application of effective low cost strategies such as salt reduction,
tobacco control and clinical prevention strategies for high risk individuals would be
sufficient to meet WHO’s goal of yearly 2% reduction in NCD rates in low and middle
income countries. The presentation will cover the practical implementation issues of
adopting such an approach, including the assessment and management of cardiovascular
risk.
Bio-sketch:
Dr Don Matheson is a public health specialist and health service manager and currently the
World Health Organisation's Western Pacific regional adviser on non communicable
diseases. In his early career, he worked as a District Medical Officer on the
Zimbabwe/Mozambican border, establishing rural primary health care services in this
remote region. He then returned to New Zealand and helped to establish the Newtown
Union Health service, a primary health care service in a low income urban area, and later he
helped establish a national organisation of community controlled primary health care
services.
In the 1990s he worked as a rural health service manager on New Zealand's east coast and
assisted the local indigenous Maori community, Ngati Porou, to establish an integrated rural
health service involving primary care clinics and a rural hospital. From there, he returned
to Wellington, served as National Director of Training for the Australasian Faculty of Public
Health Medicine, and as Director of an NGO, the Public Health Association.
In 1999, he took up a position as General Manager of Public Health for the Health Funding
Authority, and in 2000 he was appointed Deputy Director General and Director of the newly
established Public Health Directorate in the Ministry of Health. In the period 2000 to 2007,
he oversaw a number of major national public health programmes, including the
development of a systematic approach to addressing health inequalities, a national
vaccination campaign against Meningococcal B disease, the development of a national
immunization register, a doubling in size of the national breast screening programme, and
the establishment of a community development and social marketing programme to reduce
stigma and discrimination against people with mental illness. He also oversaw the
development of a multi sectoral approach to improving nutrition and increasing physical
activity, and development of national tobacco control programmes and legislation, including
the successful Smoke Free Environments amendment act and its application that made
public bars and restaurants smoke free.
During this period, he also represented the New Zealand government at international health
forums, including WHO regional committee meetings, the World Health Assembly, and
more recently the WHO Executive Board. In 2007 he was appointed Director of
International Relations, a position he held up to his present appointment.
For registration and enquiries, please call
Miss Candy Yip at 2817-4496 or email mhrn@hkusua.hku.hk
Presentation file
Photo Gallery
|
