When COVID-19 ravaged Kwai Chung Estate, multiple buildings underwent 5-7 day compulsory lockdowns for testing. This sudden isolation exacerbated the financial and health challenges faced by the residents’. In response, oOur pharmacist team quickly mobilized through community networks to establish a tele-support hotline, providing consultations for medication issues and minor ailments during lockdown. This emergency pharmacist hotline has since become a high-demand service.
Health In Action has worked closely with government agencies, community service organizations, professional groups, and academic institutions, and has been actively participating and promoting the development of primary healthcare and pharmacy services through a cyclical approach of “service, research, advocacy, and training.” As a members of the Community Pharmacy Working Group under the Department of Health, we support the development of community pharmacies and the training of pharmacists.
Eczema is commonly perceived as a minor ailment, but poor management of eczema during flare-ups often results in repeated medical visits. Our support group is created to equip those living with eczema with self-care strategies by focusing on daily habits. We assist members in finding affordable moisturizers that are suitable to their skin type. We organised workshops on that cover proper use of steroid creams, moisturizer application techniques, and wet wrap therapy. All designed to alleviate symptoms through lifestyle adjustments. The “Eczema Club” is open to the public. It offers workshops and related initiatives approximately every two to three months.
Our pharmacist of Health In Action Community Pharmacy was honored to speak at the “Primary Healthcare” session of the Hong Kong Pharmacy Conference 2024, sharing insights on diversified community pharmacy service models. Our pharmacist also participated in the panel discussion during the session. The conference attracted approximately 750 pharmacists and healthcare professionals from Hong Kong and worldwide.
Health In Action deeply recognizes that nurturing the next generation is crucial for advancing primary healthcare and promoting health awareness. We engaged students from various institutions in internship in which they gained exposure towards grassroots community needs, helping them accumulate experience and prepare for future professional careers. As the first teaching pharmacy affiliated with the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy from The University of Hong Kong, we are committed to integrating these principles into local pharmacist’s training to cultivate talents in community pharmacy services. In the same year, we also launched the first summer pharmacy internship program, providing students with more practical opportunities.
The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) has long been concerned with grassroots health issues and organized a seminar titled “Cases of social service on social-medical collaboration,” inviting seven project leaders involved in social-medical cooperation to share their experiences. Among them, Health In Action was invited to discuss the philosophy of community pharmacies and how to respond to community needs. Cross-sector and interdisciplinary participation is crucial for expanding primary healthcare services, hence we hope to collaborate with more community service organizations to promote social-medical coexistence and incorporate medication health services into local community programs and primary healthcare networks.
Adopting a Social Medical Integration approach, we encourage residents of subdivided flats to enrich their social lives by utilising community space while introducing Social Medical Integration teams to help them understand and practice healthy living—creating a social environment that improves community health.
This initiative primarily serves subdivided flat residents in Central & Western and Southern Districts. Together with the participating residents, we co-create comfortable “homes” under the “Healthy Neighbourhood Kitchen Project”. In particular, our community pharmacy, we provided residents with affordable medications and health consultations that helps them uphold their health autonomy.
Pharmacy systems, medication labels, and legally maintained records of medication sales are crucial in the provision of smooth community pharmacy services. During the pandemic, startup “PharmCare” launched a community pharmacy system which is designed to assist community pharmacies and pharmacists in managing patient information and medication records. Health In Action played an advisory role in the initial research phase of PharmCare and thereafter established a partnership on district-based developments. The ultimate goal of the platform is to promote interoperability of medical and health records across community pharmacies, public and private clinics, and hospitals throughout Hong Kong, and support the future development of community pharmacies in primary healthcare.
The community pharmacy team collaborated with other allied health professionals to organize interactive health workshops, adopting a neighborhood-centric approach distinct from conventional health talks. By facilitating discussions on disease/health topics, self-assessment exercises, and collective problem-solving with follow-up support, we strengthened relationships with community members and citizens. This transformed Health In Action Community Pharmacy and Kwai Tsing Community Health Management Hub into vibrant community gathering spots where healthcare meets daily life.
We collaborate with various community service organizations to engage individuals in need within the district, such as the elderly and minority groups through outreach health promotion seminars, training sessions, health assessments, and consultations. This approach aims to establish meaningful connections with these populations and foster collaboration and exchange among organizations across different regions.
