DH: Eligible students to enroll for annual health assessment service in 2024/25 school year

With the commencement of the new school year, the Department of Health (DH) today (Sept. 12) appeals to all eligible primary and secondary school students to enroll for the annual health assessment service provided by the DH's Student Health Service (SHS) in the 2024/25 school year.

The DH's SHS has all along been dedicated to safeguarding the physical and psychological health of students through health promotion and disease prevention services. To identify health problems early for timely advice and intervention, enrolled students will be arranged to attend a designated Student Health Service Centre (SHSC) to receive a health assessment, individual counseling, and health education services. The SHSCs will provide a series of health services to meet students' health needs in different stages of their development, including screenings for health problems related to growth, vision, hearing, and scoliosis; physical examinations; psychosocial health and health behavior; individual counseling; health education and mop-up vaccinations. Students with health problems will be referred to the Special Assessment Centres of the SHS, specialist clinics of the Hospital Authority, or other organizations as appropriate for further assessment and management.

Enrollment for the annual health assessment service of the 2024/25 school year is now open. The enrollment forms have already been distributed to parents/guardians/students through the schools. Parents/guardians/students who have not yet enrolled are urged to enroll through their schools.

To streamline the enrollment procedures and further encourage students' participation, the SHS is piloting the Online Enrolment Scheme (E-enrolment) in the 2024/25 school year. Schools participating in the E-enrolment will provide a unique QR code to their students and parents/guardians to facilitate their access to the online enrollment platform. Currently, a total of 70 schools have participated in the E-enrolment. The DH will review the experience of the E-enrolment and determine the schedule for full implementation of the online enrollment arrangement.

To echo the health-promoting school concept of the World Health Organization, the DH has launched the Whole School Health Programme since the 2023/24 school year, aiming to improve the health of students, school personnel, as well as that of families and other members of the community through schools. The program covers four themes: physical activity, healthy eating, mental health, and social well-being.

Furthermore, to promote students' mental health and empower them to cope with the challenges and difficulties encountered in the new school year, the SHS has released a series of mental health messages and basic life skill tips via the thematic website YouthCan.

For more information about SHS and enrollment, as well as health tips for students and parents, please visit this website.

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