Volume V, Issue 2 & 3 / 2006

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VOLUME V ISSUE 2 & 3 / 2006Edited by Dr William W N TsangDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, The HK PolyUTel: 2766 6717 | Fax: 2330 8656 | Email: rswtsang@polyu.edu.hk

Also in this issue:• Rehab experts make great strides

in pain management• Celebration Party of Prof. Christina

Hui-Chan’s Achievement in the Past10 Years

The consultation paper “Building a Healthy Tomorrow” put anemphasis on developing primary health care in Hong Kong. This is a timely initiative as our SAR Government has repeatedlyannounced its financial constraints and the limitations of solelyrelying on the Hospital Authority to enhance the health of thepopulation. To further materialize the concept of primary healthcare, we further suggest that the prevention of disabilities shouldalso be added to the prevention of diseases and illnesses. Withthis, the contributions of physiotherapists and occupational therapists should be added to the doctors and nurses as mentioned in the consultation paper. Below are three examplesthat illustrate the potential roles of physiotherapy and occupational therapy in primary health care in Hong Kong.

The first model is the prevention of disabilities and community wellness program “Healthy Aging Exercise” initiatedby Ms. Dora Poon and Dr. Marco Pang, physiotherapy colleaguesin our Department. It was a collaboration project between a community organization and social welfare workers through theconcept of “train the trainers” by transforming the exercise skillsto other working partners including doctors, nurses, occupationaltherapists, and social workers to the aging groups via an easy-to-learn education kit including CDs and pamphlets. The community wellness program mentioned in here is proposed by our Department in response to the paper “Building a Healthy Tomorrow.” This program is proposed to beoperated by a Community Wellness Team, which has its base in each of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The Team is composed ofdifferent medical, health, and social work professionals. The physiotherapist in the Team is expected to take up the portfolio of physical health, exercise screening, and exercise

prescriptions. By doing this, the occupational therapist in theTeam can develop a screening system for assessing the psychosocial health and lifestyle composition of older adults.Interventions on promoting psychosocial health at home andwork, and remodeling a healthy lifestyle, can be designed.

The next project is the Housing Society ResourcesCentre, which is a collaboration among the Hong Kong HousingAuthority, the Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association, andour Department. The Centre is the first of its kind in the territorythat aims to promote home safety and health to the mass population. It has demonstrated the importance of combining theexpertise of occupational therapists and housing planning andconstruction to promote home safety and, more importantly, thehealth of older adults in the community. The future developmentof this Centre can focus on developing a comprehensive screeningand referral system for those who are categorized as having significant deterioration of functions that would lead to unsafe living at home. The automated assessment systems can be furthervalidated and streamlined to capture a minimal dataset for estimating risks at home and predicting falls of older adults. In this connection, physiotherapists are very much involved inother home safety programs. They play a pivotal role in theassessment and training of elderly people to prevent physicaldeterioration and falls in the community and home.

Last but not least is the occupational health and injuryprevention program. The core of the project is the design of theDisplay Screen Equipment Risk Assessment and ManagementSystem (DSE RAM). The DSE RAM is a computerized system thatcan be used to guide completion of the DSE assessment, estimatethe occupational risks associated with sedentary work and the

The potential roles of physiotherapy and occupational therapy inprimary health care in Hong Kong

Attainment of MSc degree:

Dr. Jufang He and Prof.Chetwyn Chan have jointlyobtained a major research grant ofHK$4.2 million from the NicheResearch Grant of The Hong KongPolytechnic University. The purposeof this grant is to support one ofthe lines of research under the“Applied Neuroscience:Neuroplasticity and Regain of LostFunctions” research program. Thecollaborators outside of Hong Kongin this research program includeHarvard University; the Universityof California, Davis; Beijing NormalUniversity; State Key Laboratory inCognitive Neuroscience andLearning, Beijing; and theLaboratory of Bio-physics, ChineseAcademy of Science, Beijing.

Prof. Christina Hui-Chan hasobtained a HK$200,000 donationfrom Ms. Serena Yang, which is forsupporting the training of studentsin the MPT program in Wuhan.This is the second time that Ms.Yang has made a donation toChristina for student training.

Dr. Hector Tsang’s NIMH (underNIH) consultancy project, entitled“Stigma and Behavioral Health inUrban Employers from China andUSA,” has received the “MostValued Project Award” from thePTeC of The Hong Kong PolytechnicUniversity this year.

Dr. Guo Xia—Technology TransferAward, Merit, Licensing of wristfracture splint to Guizhou TongjtangMedicine Co. Ltd.

Dr. Guo Xia et al.—SuccessfulPatents Award, Wrist fracture splint.

Dr. Jufang He and Prof.Chetwyn Chan—33rdInternational Exhibition ofInvention, New Techniques andProducts, Silver Award, ElectronicBat Ears

Congratulations to Staff

Congratulations to StudentOur former MSc student, Miss Clare Chao(supervised by Dr. Gladys Cheing), presented her MScresearch at the Hong Kong East and Hong Kong West

Clusters JointRehabilitationScientific Conference2005/2006 on 18thMarch 2006, andwon three prizes inthe conference: 1)Outstanding PaperAward; 2) YoungInvestigator Award;and 3) First prize of

papers for the group of “Musculoskeletal, Spinal CordInjury, Stroke and Brain Injury.”

Chong Shze Ming, Shermin, a 2nd-year physiotherapy student, has been awarded aHK$10,000 HSBC scholarship for InternationalStudents. This award is for non-local students, andthe selection for the scholarship is based on academic merit, extra-curricular activities, and community services.

A 3rd-year physiotherapy student, Mr. Kenny Yu,was selected for the China Synergy Program. ThisProgram for Outstanding Youth consists of a seriesof exploration and exchange activities, which will beheld in various major cities in Mainland China. Theprogram aims to provide an opportunity for outstanding Chinese youths to learn about the current socio-economic, technological, and culturaldevelopments of China.

Announcement

Attainment of PhD degrees:

Dr. Flora Siu

Dr. Shamay Ng

Dr. Wallace Soong

Mr. Ryan Tse

Prof. S.G. He (left 3) from Chinese Academy of Science in Beijing conducted a seminar entitled “Form, Function and Development of Retinal Ganglion Cells” on 16th March 2006.

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Volume V, Issue 2 & 3 / 2006

use of computers, generate solutions for improving the worker’shealth in the workplace, and track the discomfort, fatigue, andgeneral health level of workers. The System has been installed ina few large corporations and is now in full operation. The resultsof three independent studies suggest that the System was effective for enhancing attitudinal and behavioral changes amongoffice workers in occupational safety and health in the workplace.About 10% of users of the System even took their own initiativesin using the health care monitoring module to report problemswith bodily pain, fatigue, and general health. This suggests thepotential positive effects of using the DSE RAM System as part ofthe primary health care initiative.

In fact, both physiotherapists and occupational therapists have each played different pivotal roles in primaryhealth care elsewhere in the world. In 2002, the American PhysicalTherapy Association stipulated that “physical therapists participate in and make unique contributions as individuals ormembers of primary health care teams to the provision of primary

care.” Similarly, the American Occupational Therapy Association(2006) has defined the role of occupational therapists as helping“individuals achieve independence in all facets of their lives. It gives people the ‘skills for the job of living’ necessary for independent and satisfying lives.”

Physiotherapists and occupational therapists have theexpertise and clinical skills to contribute to the delivery of futureprimary health care services. With the support of the Departmentof Rehabilitation Sciences of The Hong Kong PolytechnicUniversity, which offers the only professional training programs inHong Kong for these two professions, we are hopeful that the twoprofessions can collaborate with other medical and health careprofessions to develop a far-reaching and effective primary healthcare system for the people in Hong Kong.

• Prof. Chetwyn ChanProfessor and Head Department of Rehabilitation Sciences

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

On Friday 3rd March2006, a press briefingon rehab technologiesfor pain managementwas held at The HongKong PolytechnicUniversity (PolyU) bythe Department ofRehabilitation Sciences(RS). During the briefing, Prof. ChristinaHui-Chan explained the integration ofacupuncture points and electrical nervestimulation for smoothing the painassociated with kneeosteoarthritis and neck pain.

Led by Prof.Hui-Chan, researchersof the University’sCentre for East-meets-West in Rehabilitationhave successfullymade use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) torelieve the pain associated with various health problems, including knee osteoarthritis as well as back and neck pain.

Over the past 10 years, Prof. Hui-Chan has merged East-meets-West approaches by combining TENS and acupuncturepoints with exercise therapy in the management of pain.

“This novel TENS approach has an advantage over traditional Chinese acupuncture in that it is non-invasive, usingsurface electrodes instead of acupuncture needles and therebyminimizing any possible risk of infection. Furthermore, patientscan learn to apply the modality themselves,” said Prof. Hui-Chan.

The treatmenthas been proven effective for managingdifferent types of painand the results have beenpublished in a number ofinternational and indexedjournals.

In an articlepublished in ClinicalRehabilitation (August2004), Prof. Hui-Chan andher colleagues haveproven that the additionof TENS to exercise training tended to produce better knee muscle strength andwalking performance inpeople with kneeosteoarthritis than inthose receiving TENS orexercise training alone.Another PhD study under Prof. Hui-Chan’s supervision has

demonstrated that TENS administered prior to and after kneereplacement surgery for knee osteoarthritis significantly reducedpain and increased the range of knee flexion.

Osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease, isdefined as a group of conditions in which the joint’s cartilage isgradually worn away. Since the bone adjacent to the joints isremodeled, the disease will commonly lead to chronic pain andeven loss of mobility. For very severe cases, patients sufferingfrom knee osteoarthritis may require a surgical operation for ajoint replacement.

Ms. Serena Yang, a patient who has been suffering fromknee osteoarthritis and is receiving treatment at PolyU’sRehabilitation Clinic, also testified to the effectiveness of receivingelectrical modality and exercise training prior to and after kneesurgery at the press briefing.

More recently, Prof. Hui-Chan and her colleagues havealso studied the use of TENS on acupuncture points for soothingneck pain. A total of 218 patients with chronic neck pain wererecruited for this large-scale randomized control trial.

After receiving six weeks of treatment, the patientsreported less pain and significant improvement in neck musclestrength. The results have been published in a recent issue of thejournal Clinical Rehabilitation (December 2005).

• Ms. Jess Fu

Rehab experts make great strides in

pain management

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Volume V, Issue 2 & 3 / 2006

Winter-term break: it was acouple of days with a crystalclear blue sky. This year wehad our departmentalretreat at the Jockey ClubShatin Club House, some-where close to town and yetthat offers some tranquility.Michelle, Jess, Kenneth, andI were the members of theorganizing committee.“Novelty” seemed to be thecharacteristic of this year’sretreat. Firstly, the workinggroup was led by our newhead, Professor ChetwynChan. Secondly, three out offour organizing committeemembers were new, havingspent less than six months in the department. “Opportunities andChallenges in Primary Health Care” was chosen to be the main

theme of this year’sretreat. I am sure “primaryhealth care” is not new tous, and we were taughtfrom very early on that theprevention of disease anddisability is one of ourprincipal roles as therapists. With increasing awarenessfrom the public and ourGovernment in the importance of primaryhealth care, it seems that

there is a need for us to strengthen and spell out our role in thisarea. Two guest speakers were invited to talk on the first day. Dr. Chan Wai Man, Assistant Director of the Department of Health,and Professor Albert Lee, Professor in Family Medicine at theChinese University of Hong Kong. Both speakers shared with usthe model of primary care service provision in the unit under theirdirectorship. The talk provided invaluable information, and also

opened up opportunities for collaboration with thesetwo chief and leading organizations in the arena.

The discussion inthe afternoon was abouthow we can strengthen ourrole in primary health carefrom different perspectives– research, teaching, andservice. Many innovativeideas were generated inthis session. It was fun,interesting, stimulating,and also fruitful. The first day ended with a relaxing and mouth-watering BBQ dinner at Ho Chung, Sai Kung.

The highlight of the morning on the second day was the“team-building” activity. We were split into two groups to buildbridges out of scrap materials. Each group was divided in half inorder to build two halves of a bridge that met in the middle atexactly the same location. The goal was to use the limited materials (resources) provided to build the bridge (program) without seams so that a toy car could pass through. Both groupsput in excellent work, but we could not have imagined how theactivity was eventually going to end up – with a “battle” full oflaughs and noises from peoplesquabbling (our professors!). Of course,trust, cooperation,team spirit, and communication werebehind every inch of thebridge they built.

Finally, eachfacilitator presented a summary of thegroup discussion in anopen-minded atmosphere with theuse of pictures, slogans, and “power”without “points.”Furthermore, all ofthe participants hadtheir initiatives andactions in “mind” so that they couldcarry these out forthe department in the coming year.

• Ms. Nicola Mok & Dr. Kenneth Fong

Dr Chan Wai Man (second from left) and Prof. Albert Lee (second from right)shared views on opportunities and challenges in Primary Health Care

We are all winners in the team building activity

A relax moment after Brian Storming

Celebration Party of Prof. Christina Hui-Chan’sAchievement in the Past 10 Years

The celebration party was a most memorable occasion. TheUniversity’s senior management, health care professionals, andacademics gathered together to share their memories of work andleisure with Prof. Christina Hui-Chan over the past 10 years.

Prof. John Leong (Chairman of Departmental AdvisoryCommittee) and Prof. T. P. Leung, VP (Student Development)echoed each other in their first impressions of Prof. Christina Hui-Chan as an elegant and graceful lady.

The senior management shared their working experience with, and made good wishes to, Prof. Christina Hui-Chan: Prof. Suleyman Demokan (VP [Academic Development] )and Prof. Lui Sun-wing (VP [Partnership Development] ) were onthe stage, and Mr. Alexander Tzang (Deputy President), Prof. KoJan-ming (VP [Research Development] ), Mr. Chris Mong (AssociateVice President & Director of Finance), and Prof. Thomas Wong(Dean [FHSS] ) were via a video. Mr. Chris Mong’s long distancecall came at just the righttime when his video was on.

Ms. Serena Yangpraised Prof. Christina Hui-Chan and her team for theirwonderful physiotherapyand high quality of service.Ms. Polly Lau (President,HKPA), Mr. Samuel Chan(Chairman, HKPTA), Prof.Hui-Chan’s colleagues, andher research students sharedtheir happy memories.

Prof. Poon Chung-kwong (President) and Dr. York Chow(Secretary of Health, Welfare and Food) squeezed some time fromtheir busy schedules to join theparty. Prof. Poon thanked Prof.Christina Hui-Chan for leadingthe Department to achieve itsmilstones, and for the great leapforward in teaching, research,and service. The Department willcontinue to strive for excellence.

The most touchingtime came when Prof. ChristinaHui-Chan, accompanied by Prof.Bill Chan and Dr. Juanita Chan(Prof. Hui-Chan’s husband andelder daughter), cut her birthday

cake and openedher gifts, which were well-thought-out by her colleagues. Moreover, Prof. T. P. Leung printed anartistic Chinese calligraphy.

Last but not least, our sincere thanks go to Dr. Amy Fu and Dr. William Tsang, the outstanding MCs. With a great sense of humour,they ran the whole evening seamlessly. Everyoneenjoyed great food, great wine, and a wonderfuland touching atmosphere, and went home withsweet memories.

• Ms. Michelle Leung

Departmental Retreat

Did you know…thelatest populationprojections showthat by the year2031, one in everyfour people in

Hong Kong willbe 65 years of age or older? These figures highlight the fact that our population is ageing at a pace quickerthan expected. Now, here is an excellentchance to take a course in GeriatricRehabilitation. Let’s hear some comments regarding the course fromtwo of our 2nd-year students:

"This course provides me with practical and fruitful training in the geriatrics field and the workload is reasonable." ..................Apple

"I have been studying the Master of Science in GeriatricRehabilitation course for a year and a half. I enjoy studying thiscourse as the teaching staff are helpful and the course material isrelevant to clinical management. We usually form small groups toprepare assignments. I have made new friends from different disci-plines, such as occupational therapists, nurses, medical social

It is my pleasure to write and show my appreciation for howthankful I am to have this opportunity to come to England for ayear of exchange. The experience is currently difficult but worth

to trying. First, I would like tothank the Hong Kong BankFoundation and Dr. GrahamePope (NTH), who have providedme with this opportunity.

The division of physiotherapy in the Universityof Nottingham is located in theCity Hospital Campus outsidethe university. It provides a

very nurturing environment to students, as we receive traininginside the hospital and are surrounded by patients and otherprofessionals. I was overwhelmed at the beginning as I wastotally immersed in the clinical environment. A funny way todescribe it is as an over-exposed x-ray; you want to see it butthere is just too much for you to see. The practical componentoccupies most of the courses here, which I found very difficult toadapt to. However, I think it is essential as we ultimately need tocome out and practice. During my time here, I have benefited themost by developing an analytical and systematic clinical reason-ing skill. Now, I not only have the confidence to treat patients,but I have also learnt how to take care of their feelings.

The person who has influenced me the most is Dr. AnnChilds, who has taught me physiotherapy in mental health andacupuncture. I consider her an “extraordinary physio” doing“extraordinary” things that most physiotherapists are not doingin this country. She taught us how we need to consider patientsboth physically and mentally. Ann brought in her patients toexplain and describe how useful physio-techniques can be tohelp them to resolve their mental problems. I have learnt somuch from touch therapy, visualization, exercise therapy, andcognitive behavioral therapy, and I truly believethat I can apply these practically to patients.

I would also liketo take this opportunity tothank Dr. Grace Szeto, Mrs. Agnes Gardner, Ms.Dora Poon, Dr. Ella Yeung,and especially Dr. CeliaWebb who has taught me so much in person about how to be agood physiotherapist. I still remember how she encouraged meto be professional and not to panic. I believe that every physiotherapist has his or her reasons for why he or she chooses to stay in this profession. “Patient smiles are my rewardand strength to stay in this profession” – this is why I enjoybeing a physiotherapist, and why I will continue to be one.Thank you very much.

• Mr. Penny Ng, Year 2 physiotherapy student

An ‘Exchange’ that has changed my life

Thanks for your devotion, PolyU teachersBefore I attained the opportunity to study for a Master inPhysical Therapy (MPT), Wuhan, I worked in a clinic for twoyears. During this period, I met many kinds of patients. Somepatients were unable to walk or speak, and many of them hadno sensation of their environments. What could I do for them?At that time, I knew what I could do was very limited.

When I was accepted by PolyU, I knew I wouldimprove my ability. In the MTP course, every Hong Kong teacheris so responsible for our learning. Our several months ofstudies occupied much of our time. But I indeed learnt alot of valuable things; that is, what I got was more thanwhat I lost! The different types of teaching are very new tome. In every class, teachers always teach me many interesting things that I have never met before. After eachsubject is over, I can get more systematic knowledge thanbefore. I advance in different aspects, because teacherspatiently explain things to us until we understand the subjects. There are different forms of teaching and learning,such as peer teaching, practical and written tests, and seminar presentations, which are new to me.

Sharing of study in MPT courseI have been studying the MPT program for almost half a year.The biggest difference that I have found between previous andcurrent learning lies in the studying method. In the past, I paidmuch more attention to the theories in learning, usually onlykeeping many rules in my mind. At present, we focus mainly on both the practice and theory in learning. Also, nearly all of our present teachers remind us that to be a good physical therapist, the skillful communication with patients and suitable instruction of patients are of great importance. We learn theories as they are the foundation to master the knowledge, while putting the theory into practice can help usto achieve a full comprehension of the theories. The good communication with patients and suitable instruction ofpatients are the necessary skills to put theories into daily practice and to get a satisfactory result. Nowadays, in our practical room, we have gradually adapted to give instructionsto our “patient” classmates. The most popular sentenceamong us is: “Try to relax but do not move; make yourself ascomfortable as you can!”

• Miss Lu Xi, RuthYear 1 MPT student

Volume V, Issue 2 & 3 / 2006

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I still remember my teacher’s words, “self-study, work hard, but relax,” which encourages me when I prepare fortests. Now, I am becoming more and more interested in thecourse, which will benefit me in my future development.

• Mr. Yang Fa Ming, JordanYear 1 MPT student

Ruth (right) discussed a case withher classmatesJordan was conducting a peer teaching in the

functional anatomy laboratory

Successful applicants can apply for “Scholarships forPostgraduate Scheme in Rehabilitation Sciences.” The scholarshiprewards students who show outstanding academic performance intheir studies. A scholarship of HK$15,000 will be awarded for thepayment of tuition fees for their ongoing study.

An information session will be held on 16th May 2006,7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, in ST522, The Hong Kong PolytechnicUniversity.

For enquiries:Ms. Gloria ManTel.: 2766 4394 Email: rsglman@inet.polyu.edu.hkDr. William Tsang Tel.: 2766 6717 Email: rswtsang@inet.polyu.edu.hk

For further details:http://www.rs.polyu.edu.hk/rs/teaching/teaching_post_self_MscGeri.htm

For application: www.polyu.edu.hk/study

The course contents are:• Contemporary health care issues in geriatrics• Physical rehabilitation for the elderly• Cognitive rehabilitation for the elderly• Pain management: A multi-dimensional approach• Clinical management

Master of Science in Geriatric Rehabilitationworker and podiatrist. It forms an informal channel through whichto learn. The course work is not as heavy as what I thought in thebeginning. We can form groups to complete the project studies,which are not as demanding as an individual dissertation. I dorecommend this course to those who intend to pursue a higheracademic qualification." ..............................Macy

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Volume V, Issue 2 & 3 / 2006

Collaboration is a win-win solution in striving to achieve professionalism. Being the sole provider of tertiary education inphysiotherapy and occupational therapy in Hong Kong andMainland China, the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences is dedicated to the creation of an enriched environment for knowledge development, advancing education for our students,achieving the highest international standards in research activities, and enhancing the quality of life for communities.

The Guangdong Work Rehabilitation Center is one of thewell-established healthcare centers in the Mainland China thatfocuses on work rehabilitation with great support from the government. With the aim to further develop their professionalism,on 29th December 2005, a group of senior official representatives

Dr. Cecilia Li introduced the study on hand rehabilitation treatment after burn

Prof. Alice Jones explained the facilities for cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programme in physiotherapy

from the Guangdong Provincial Government and the GuangdongWork Rehabilitation Center visited our Department. During thevisit, a memorandum of understanding was signed for deeper collaboration between the Guangdong Work Rehabilitation Centerand the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences in education andresearch. The Center also appointed Prof. Chetwyn Chan as theirconsultant and visiting professor. Prof. Alice Jones, Dr. Cecilia Li,and Dr. Grace SzeTo were also involved in this visit.

• Ms. Jess Fu

Cynthia Tang Memorial ScholarshipThe spirit continues

In order to benefit more, your support of the scholarship is welcome. Donations to the Fund can be made bya check payable to “The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,”together with the following form, and should be posted to Ms.June Cheung, General Office, Department of RehabilitationSciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom,Kowloon, Hong Kong.

For enquiries, please feel free to contact Ms. Cheungat 2766 6730 or e-mail: rsdept@polyu.edu.hk. We look forwardto having your support!

Once again, thank you.

• Dr. Cecilia Li and Ms. Jess Fu

Please as appropriate:

I hereby donate HK$_________________________ to the Cynthia Tang Memorial Scholarship Fund.

I hereby pledge a donations of HK$ _____________ to the Cynthia Tang Memorial Scholarship Fund.

(A Representative from hte Department of Rehabilitation Sciences will contact you regarding the arrangement.)Note: This form can be duplicated and an official receipt will be sent to acknowledge your generous donation.

The scholarship was officially inaugurated in January 2005 inmemory of Mrs. Cynthia Tang’s dedication and contribution tothe profession of occupational therapy, with a generous donation of HK$1 million from the Tang family, to support thosestudents who are interested in pursuing undergraduate studiesin occupational therapy.

With the launch of the scholarship, a tremendousamount of applications have been received. Amongst those outstanding competitors, Dr. Lin Guo Fei from Guangdong wasselected to receive the award, and started his three years ofstudies in our department last year.

Aside from the previous donation, the Tang familydonated HK$250,000 last Christmas to enable more students tobenefit from the scholarship.

Mr. Tang (middle) and Dr. Lin (third from the right) joined the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences’ Christmas Party

Cynthia Tang Memorial Scholarship Fund Donation Form

Name : Date:

Telephone: Fax:

E-mail: Check no and Bank :

Address :

A memorandum of understanding was signed for deeper collaborationbetween the Guangdong Work Rehabilitation Center and the Departmentof Rehabilitation Sciences in education and research

Deep Collaborationwith Guangdong Province on Rehabilitation

knowledge of the cardiothoracic area. It was also a great surpriseto receive an item of mail two weeks later, notifying me that I had

won the “Award for Research inCardiothoracic Rehabilitation.” I could not have imagined that I couldwin the award! The award and the greatresponse from the other researchers toour TENS project gave me the encour-agement and the confidence to furthermy research—applying the protocol tosubjects with asthma. I would like totake this opportunity to thank thedepartment for their support, and toexpress my deepest gratitude to mysupervisors, Prof. Jones and Prof. Hui-

Prof. Jones and I participated in the 9th National CardiothoracicConference, organized by the Australian PhysiotherapyAssociation (APA) from the 13thOctober to the 15th October 2005. I was quite nervous since it was myfirst time presenting internationally.However, I was really glad to see thegreat response and interest from theaudience during the presentation.Although we had to leave directlyafter our presentations and thereforemissed the afternoon program, theexperience of participating in theconference had already broadenedmy horizons in research and

World Health Day is the annual flagship event ofthe World Health Organization. Since 1950, it hasbeen held each year on 7th April to raise theawareness of specific global health issues. Thisyear’s theme – working together for health –highlights the challenging and often inspiringwork carried out by health care workers. OnWorld Health Day 2006, WHO released its WorldHealth Report 2006, which is on the same theme.A concerted campaign of action will then beundertaken to promote fair and safe workingconditions for health workers, and to strengthen

the effectiveness of the health workforce. “World Health Day 2006 gives us all an

opportunity to celebrate the remarkable contribution to humanhealth and development made by health workers,” said Director-General of the WHO, Dr. LEE Jong-wook.

“Solutions do exist and new ones are being activelysought. Innovative and effective ways to educate and train thehealth workforce, private-public partnerships, adequate financingand management policies, and successful country experiences allhelp us to learn from each other,” Dr. Lee added.

In 2006, the key messages of World Health Day coverseven areas, and they are:1. Education and well-trained health workers save lives

They are vital for providing access to disease prevention, treatment, and care for all, including those living in extremepoverty.

2. Support and protect health workersSafe and supportive working conditions must be ensured, andsalaries, resources, and management structures improved.

I am very pleased to tell you that mypaper, “Therapeutic laser and runningexercise promote tendo-achilles healing:a rat model” co-authored with Dr. DickyFung, and presented at the CombinedAustralian Conference of Science andMedicine in Sport, the 5th NationalPhysical Activity Conference, and the 4thNational Sports Injury PreventionConference in Melbourne last week, wasawarded the Asics Best Paper: ClinicallyRelevant Conditions.

• Professor Gabriel Ng

Dr. Anna Lau, who was recently featured in a BIG splash of aSunday paper (12 March 2006, page 13), the South ChinaMorning Post (SCMP). Dr. Lau and her colleague Prof. RobertCummins (Deakin University, Australia) were approached by the

Hearty congratulations go to…SCMP to report their longtime collaborative international quality of life (QOL) research – notably, The InternationalWellbeing Group (IWBG) and The Personal Wellbeing Index. Dr. Lau and Prof. Cummins officially initiated the Group in 2002,which now comprises researchers from over 45 countries. Dr. Lau is also the Hong Kong Principal Researcher andConvener cum China Coordinator. The Group is committed tothe development of a cross-cultural tool, The PersonalWellbeing Index, for promoting scientific understanding andthe application of “subjective wellbeing” as a contemporaryQOL approach. The index is suitable for use with all groups, populations, and different levels of society, such asclinicians/practitioners, service managers, and theGovernment. It also contains parallel forms for special populations, such as those with cognitive impairment and children. Dr. Lau is a former recipient of the 2004 DistinguishedQOL Research Fellow Award from the International Society forQuality of Life Studies (ISQOLS). Dr. Lau and Prof. Cummins’sinteresting March 12th SCMP feature can be found on ourDepartment’s website at http://www.rs.polyu.edu.hk/.

Volume V, Issue 2 & 3 / 2006

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Award Winning

QOL full-day workshop conducted by Dr. Lau and Prof. Cummins

3. Enhance the effectiveness of the health workforce through new strategiesEnormous opportunities to achieve efficiencygains exist in many settings, and strategiesmust focus on the existing workforce becauseof the time lag in recruiting or training newhealth workers.

4. Tackle imbalances and inequitiesThere are now widening imbalances andinequities in the availability and migration ofhealth workers, which seriously underminesthe provision of fair and universal health care.

5. Governments must take the lead To make progress in all of the above areas,

Governments must provide leadership in planning, formulating,and implementing the required polices.

6. Promote partnership and cooperationAlliances of stakeholders within countries backed by global and regional reinforcement are needed to properly address the technical and political challenges of health workforce development.

7. Build trust among all stakeholders Trust between the Government, employers, health professionals, and the communities they serve must be nurtured and maintained.

Let’s work together with the WHO and fully support thisinternational activity to raise awareness of the need for and theprovision of both occupational therapy and physiotherapy in education, research, and services. For more details regardingWorld Health Day 2006, please visit: http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2006.

WHO – World Health Day on 7 April 2006Miss Shirley Ngai

Professor Gabriel Ng & Dr. Dicky Fung

Chan, for their guidance and valuableadvice throughout my study.

• Miss Shirley Ngai