Speeches

The University of Hong Kong
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
Department of Pathology
The 6th Hong Kong Pathology Forum (2018)
3 February 2018 (Saturday)
Speech for SFH

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Professor Khoo (Chairman, Organising Committee of the Hong Kong Pathology Forum),
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

 

  1. Good morning. I am most delighted to join you this morning for the opening of the 6th Hong Kong Pathology Forum. Let me first extend my warmest welcome to all of you, especially those who have travelled a long way to join us today.
  2. As we all appreciate, the practice of medicine requires team efforts and the provision of good quality clinical services cannot go without the sound support of pathology. This specialty is fundamental to the development and recent advancement of modern western medicine. It provides information upon which disease diagnosis and management decisions are based. It also makes significant contributions through its expanding role in pre-morbid disease detection and guiding drug therapy.
  3. Traditional pathological diagnosis primarily relies on the use of light microscopy. Although this method of analysis is still adopted in a substantial proportion of routine pathology work today in providing efficient, informative and accurate treatment related information to clinicians, the role of molecular pathology has been emerging to be of crucial importance. Analysis of disease at the genetic level enables early recognition of disease before its clinical manifestation and allows early prevention through identification of disease etiologies. Most importantly, new therapeutic regimes, such as the major breakthroughs in target therapies for treatment of lung and colon cancers, are developed thanks to the identification of potential molecular targets in cancers.
  4. The application of molecular diagnostics has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade, traversing all disciplines in pathology, including Microbiology. Nowadays, molecular diagnostics does not only supplement the conventional diagnostic methodologies, it also performs unique roles in screening and diagnosing hereditary conditions, epidemiological studies as well as rationalising treatment for various cancers. All these enable the appropriate selection of treatment modalities for achieving the best clinical outcome. This service is now accredited and provided by hospitals of the Hospital Authority (HA), the major public healthcare service provider in Hong Kong.
  5. In addition, HA has introduced new technologies such as Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization - Time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectroscopy for rapid diagnosis of bacterial infections, automation in blood grouping and cross-matching, and barcode-based tracking for histological specimens. Furthermore, a wider adoption of mass-spectroscopy-based techniques for the conventional immunoassays can achieve higher sensitivity and specificity at lower running costs. All these measures have contributed to the enhancement of HA’s pathological services.
  6. All in all, the rapid advancement in the knowledge and technology in the area of pathology requires us not only to be updated in our medical laboratories but also to keep abreast of international developments in clinical practices and research. In this connection, I wish to extend my gratitude to the University of Hong Kong for organising the sixth Pathology Forum which provides an excellent platform for experts from various pathology disciplines to share the latest developments of this specialty. I am certain that participants will find the Forum most educational and inspiring.
  7. As the Secretary for Food and Health, to safeguard public health, provide quality medical services, ensure food safety and environmental hygiene are always top priorities on my health agenda. My team and I will continue to work hard for the betterment of Hong Kong.
  8. Last but not least, may I express my heartfelt appreciation to the professionals and academics who have made tremendous contribution in this field. I wish the Forum every success and for our overseas delegates, a pleasant stay in Hong Kong. Thank you.
12 Apr 2019