Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has recently received a generous donation of HK$1 million from Mr. David Fong Man Hung, BBS, JP, Chairman of the Fong Shu Fook Tong Foundation and the Fong’s Family Foundation (the Foundations). This funding will enable the School of Chinese Medicine to undertake a research initiative launched to develop clinical guidelines for integrative Chinese and Western medicine for diabetes care, along with a pre-diabetes screening programme. This will benefit the broader community as well as diabetic patients.

Currently, in Hong Kong there are more than 700,000 diabetics, imposing substantial demands on the city’s medical services. Since prolonged high blood sugar levels can cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, heart, blood vessels and nerves, an early intervention with Chinese medicine is advisable to boost the effectiveness of diabetes treatment and prevention of the disease. The clinical guidelines compiled through this research initiative will provide important references for practitioners of both Chinese and Western medicine, helping to improve the quality of relevant medical services and promote the efficacy of Chinese medicine for diabetes treatment at an international level.

The Fong family has been a steadfast supporter of HKBU since the 1980s. Through the Foundations, they have made significant contributions to the University’s development on a variety of fronts, including the construction of HKBU’s Fong Shu Chuen Library and the David C. Lam Building. Notably, the Foundations have rendered staunch support to the School of Chinese Medicine for a number of research projects and impactful initiatives, including the “clinical study and application of the acupuncture treatment for children with autism”, “The Chinese Medicine Material Images Database”, and the distribution of free Chinese medicine influenza prevention remedies to the elderly. The Fong’s Family Foundation has also pledged to support HKBU in its role as the contractor for the service deed of Hong Kong’s first Chinese Medicine Hospital.