Primary Health Care Academy
About HKU Primary Health Care Academy
Established in February 2023 with the generous support of the Azalea (1972) Endowment Fund, the HKU Primary Health Care Academy (PHCA) is a leading platform dedicated to advancing primary health care (PHC) in Hong Kong.
Under the leadership of Professor Sophia Chan, the Academy generates evidence, disseminates knowledge, and incubates the next generation of healthcare professionals to achieve universal health coverage and a sustainable, healthy society.
Director: Professor Sophia Chan
Professor and Director of HKU Primary Health Care Academy
Senior Advisor, President’s Office, The University of Hong Kong
Professor Sophia Siu Chee Chan
Vision, Mission & Objectives
Vision
To build a centre of excellence in comprehensive primary health care research and education, fosteringinnovative practices and policies that enhance community well-being at local, regional, andinternational levels.
Mission
To advance primary healthcare through rigorous research, comprehensive training, effective policyadvocacy, and robust international collaboration. We empower healthcare professionals to addressevolving population needs and promote equitable access to care.
Objectives
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Enhance primary health care through collaboration and community engagement.
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Align with government policies to address current health challenges.
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Improve healthcare professionals’ knowledge in chronic disease prevention and management.
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Strengthen capacity through effective training programs.
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Enable policy dialogue and advocacy at local, national, and international levels.
Four Pillars of Activities
Pillar 1: Research for Policy Making
Conduct technology-based, proactiveresearch (e.g., PHC interventions, big dataanalytics, COVID-19 rehabilitation) usingrandomized controlled trials and clinicaldata. Generate evidence to inform scalablePHC models and policy.
Pillar 2: Capacity Building
Offer advanced PHC courses usingsimulation, virtual reality, and robotics.Train educators, nurses, and students totranslate knowledge into practice,developing effective training models
Pillar 3: Evidence-Based Interventions
Collaborate with PHC organizations and
District Health Centres to implement pilot
models. Provide early interventions (e.g.,
long COVID care, smoking cessation) to lead by example and advocate for policy.
Pillar 4: Global Collaboration
Convene international experts through
seminars and summits. Partner with the
WHO and global leaders to share best
practices, strengthening PHC at local,
regional, and international levels.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board provides strategic guidance, with local and global experts from hospitals, academia,and organizations like the WHO. It convenes biannually to promote collaboration.
Local Members
Professor Sophia Chan (Chair)
Director,
HKU PHCA
Professor Kelvin Wang
Deputy Director,
HKU PHCA
Professor David Bishai
Director,
School of Public Health, HKU
Professor Yibin Feng
Director,
School of Chinese Medicine, HKU
Professor Lin Chia-Chin
Director,
School of Nursing, HKU
Dr Victoria Wong
Associate Dean
(Clinical Affairs), HKU
Ms Jane Chan
Honorary Associate
Professor, HKU
Professor William Wong
Chair,
Department of
Family Medicine, HKU
Global Advisors
Professor Kasisomayajula
Viswanath
Harvard T.H. Chan School
Dr Douglas William
Bettcher
Senior Advisor, WHO
Dr James Campbell
Director,
Health Workforce Department,WHO
Professor Minghui Ren
Peking University
Policy Brief
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The Health Policy Research Team develops and publishes policy briefs
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The policy briefs summarize key points from recent research findings and provide policy recommendations
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Focus areas:
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Community-based health promotion
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Primary health care
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Smoking cessation
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Alcohol use
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Aim:
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To translate complex research into clear, accessible, actionable insights
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To inform policymakers, practitioners, stakeholders, and the general public
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To support effective public health decision-making and intervention planning
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Achievements by Pillar
Pillar 1: Research
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Long COVID-19 Study: Followed 650+ survivors to identify post-COVID conditions.
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HKJC DATAZONE Project: District health profiling and innovative PHC models in 3 districts.
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18 research papers presented at the 2024 Primary Healthcare Summit.
Pillar 2: Capacity Building
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HKU JC Nursing Leadership Fellowship: 3 cohorts (2024–2027) with overseas training at Oxford and
Case Western Reserve University. -
Workshops on implementation science, secondhand smoke interventions, and digital health.
Pillar 3: Interventions & Advocacy
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Quit-for-Kids Project: Supporting 490+ families to quit smoking and reduce child exposure to
secondhand smoke. -
Advocacy for healthcare reform, tobacco control, and against spirits tax reductions.
Pillar 4: Global Engagement
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Hosted 2024 Primary Healthcare Summit with WHO experts.
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Collaborated with international institutions (e.g., Johns Hopkins, University of Toronto) on tobacco
control and nursing leadership.
Activities
Contact the HKU Primary Health Care Academy
Email: phca@hku.hk
Address: 5/F, 3 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong