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Prioritising mental health: The Jockey Club Traditional Chinese Medicine-driven Mental Wellness Project

31 Dec 2024

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(From left) Dr Wong Hung-ngan, member of the Advisory Committee of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU; Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Associate Vice President (Clinical Chinese Medicine) of HKBU and Principal Investigator of the “Jockey Club Traditional Chinese Medicine-driven Mental Wellness Project”; Ms Rowena Wong How-wan, Chief Manager (Chinese Medicine), the Hospital Authority; Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Ms Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Positive Ageing & Elderly Care; and Healthy Community), The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Mr Chris Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, the HKSAR Government; Professor Martin Wong Ding-fat, Provost of HKBU; Dr Vincent Chung Chi-ho, Commissioner for Chinese Medicine Development of the Health Bureau, the HKSAR Government; Dr David Fong Ho-ching, Assistant Director of Health (Chinese Medicine), the HKSAR Government; Professor Annie Tam Kam-lan, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of NLPRA; and Mr Tommy Y S Li, member of the Advisory Committee of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, officiate at the launch ceremony of the “Jockey Club Traditional Chinese Medicine-driven Mental Wellness Project”.

 

To promote mental wellness in the community, HKBU is partnering with the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association in the first large-scale Chinese medicine mental health community project. Thanks to a generous donation of HK$70.95 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the three-year “Jockey Club Traditional Chinese Medicine-driven Mental Wellness Project” aims to address the prevalence of common mental health issues in Hong Kong, as well as enhance public awareness and improve mental wellness through education and evidence-based Chinese medicine services. Ultimately, it intends to establish localised Chinese medicine treatment protocols for common mental disorders.

Free Chinese medicine will be provided to 5,000 participants suffering from common mental health issues, such as insomnia, anxiety and depression. Counselling will also be available for participants in need. The project will also provide transdisciplinary training to 100 Chinese medicine practitioners and social workers to strengthen their competence in supporting the individuals with common mental disorders. Furthermore, 150 ambassadors and 100 Chinese medicine students will receive training to enhance their knowledge in this field.

The launch ceremony took place on 9 December on HKBU campus. The officiating guests included Mr Chris Sun Yuk-han, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, the HKSAR Government; Ms Imelda Chan, Head of Charities (Positive Ageing & Elderly Care; and Healthy Community), The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Dr Vincent Chung Chi-ho, Commissioner for Chinese Medicine Development of the Health Bureau, the HKSAR Government; Dr Edmund Fong Ho-ching, Assistant Director of Health (Chinese Medicine), the HKSAR Government; and Ms Rowena Wong How-wan, Chief Manager (Chinese Medicine), the Hospital Authority.

Representatives from the project organisers included Dr Clement Chen, Chairman of the Council and the Court of HKBU; Professor Martin Wong Ding-fat, Provost of HKBU; Mr Tommy Y S Li and Dr Wong Hung-ngan, members of the Advisory Committee of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, and Professor Annie Tam Kam-lan, Chairperson of the Executive Committee of NLPRA.