WORKSHOP ON PUBLIC HEALTH FOR MEDIA WORKERS April 2007

Background Proposed by Risk Communication Advisory Group (RCAG) in 2006 Launched in Risk Communication Centre (RCC) on 12 to 26 April 2007 (three consecutive Thursday mornings)

Background Main goal To enhance health-beat media personnel’s understanding on public health issues and reinforce the collaboration between media and public health workers

Target Audience Health-beat media workers (mainly with less than two-year working experience in the media and a few who are more experienced but are interested in topics on certain days)

Main Activities Format of the Workshop – Seminar – Q&A sessions – Site visit – Quiz

Main Topics of the Seminars Disease surveillance, prevention and control Health promotion activities and strategies for prevention of non-communicable diseases Introduction of health statistics Application of disease modeling

The First Day : 12 April 2007 (Thursday)

The First Day Risk Communication Advisory Group (RCAG) Mr. David CHAN, Mrs. Jennifer CHEUNG, Dr Thomas TSANG, Mr. Aaron WAN Welcoming Speech Dr Thomas TSANG

The First Day Disease Surveillance and Tripartite Communication System Dr Edwin TSUI Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan Dr Ronald LAM Exercise and Drills Mr. Tommy YU

The First Day Use of Personal Response System

The First Day Visit Emergency Response Centre (ERC)

The Second Day: 19 April 2007 (Thursday) Tobacco Control Measures Dr FUNG Ying Monitoring of Undesirable Medical Advertisement Dr Winnie AU Health Promotion Activities on Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases Dr Patrick CHONG Strategies for Prevention of Non- Communicable Diseases Dr. YUEN Ka Yiu

The Second Day Visit the launching of 419 Fruit Day

The Third Day : 26 April 2007 (Thursday) Monitoring of Medical Device Dr Monica WONG Effective Use of Health Statistics Mrs. Eliza LEUNG A Brief Account on Application of Disease Modeling Dr LEUNG Chi Chiu Outbreak Investigation Dr CHUANG Shuk Kwan

The Third Day Presentation of Certificate

Evaluation Feedback from participants

Evaluation Feedback from participants

Evaluation Feedback from participants

Evaluation Feedback from speakers

Evaluation Feedback from speakers

Evaluation Other observations –The number of participants varied on the three days according to job assignments on that day.( More attendees on first day than last day) –Both speakers and participants expressed that more time for discussions should be allowed –Some participants preferred the Workshop to be launched on Saturdays and some preferred the speakers could stay longer after the seminar

Discussion & Recommendations Reasons of Absence from the Workshop of the Participants – Have to cover news in the mornings – Have to go overseas for media coverage – Attending workshop on consecutive three Thursday mornings is quite demanding

Discussion & Recommendations Topics of the Workshop – Directly related to daily work of media workers instead of theory discussion

Discussion & Recommendations Some presentations were over-run – Insufficient time for discussions Suggestions – Arrange fewer topics in one session – Allow more time for in-depth discussion for each topic

Discussion & Recommendations Approach to launch the Workshop in future – Conduct in the form of sharing group – Allow the participants more time for discussion – Arrange more interactive activities, e.g. site visit and quiz