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President Message

It is my great pleasure and honor to serve as the President of the Hong Kong Society for HIV Medicine (HKSHM) for the term 2018-2020. Firstly, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our immediate past President Professor SS Lee for his great leadership, and the last council for making valuable contributions to the success of HKSHM in the past 2 years.

I would also like express my gratitude to the new council and subcommittees. Three subcommittees are newly formed including Education and Scientific Subcommittee, Newsletter and Website Subcommittee, and Nurse and Allied Health Professionals Subcommittee. I’m so glad to receive tremendous support from our committed and enthusiastic members. Term of reference of each subcommittee and reporting back procedures are laid down too.

I am also proud to announce that HKSHM has joined with over 800 leading organizations worldwide for signing up to support for undetectable equals un-transmittable (U=U). U=U consensus statement was launched by the Prevention Access Campaign in 2016. Clinical evidence confirmed that once sustained undetectable viral load has been achieved, the person living with HIV has no or zero risk of sexual transmission of the virus to other people. This is a very effective HIV prevention strategy and an important component of the comprehensive HIV prevention package. In supporting U=U can improve engagement to care and antiretroviral drug adherence among people living with HIV. U=U is also a powerful message that can be used to dismantle stigma. Our society will continue our effort to convey and promote the message to the public and health care professionals.

In the past 2 years, our society has organized numerous successful educational activities including scientific meetings, symposia and workshops, which were well attended by members, health care professionals and staffs of non-governmental organizations. In the coming year, we will continue to organize educational and training activities to bring updated knowledge and latest insight in the management of HIV/AIDS and related problems, through sharing from overseas and local experts. Besides, our society will also support staff training from other medical fields and disciplines that have important roles in the HIV prevention and care continuum, such as primary care physicians, colleagues in emergency department, and elderly home staffs, etc.

Last but not least, we are determined to continue our best endeavor to advance knowledge and the practice of HIV medicine in Hong Kong. With your participation and unfailing supports, we look forward to achieving another successful and rewarding year.

Thank you very much!

Dr. Man-Po LEE
Consultant, HIV Clinical Service,
Department of Medicine,
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
March 2019