Mission
The Department of Infectious Diseases and Public Health was established in July 2017 with the mission:
- to achieve and sustain excellence in undergraduate and postgraduate education that produces competent, internationally accredited veterinary and public health practitioners;
- to lead highly innovative and impactful research programs that advance the fields of veterinary and public health through focusing on the holistic interconnectivity of animal health, human health and ecosystems;
- to improve the health and welfare of animals and the community we serve through collaborative and consultative partnerships with educational and research institutes, governments, industry, and not-for-profit enterprises locally and internationally.
Key Areas
The department focuses on the following key areas:
- enhancing the understanding of the pathogenesis and natural history of infectious diseases of animals, with the overarching aim of improving methods for their diagnosis and application of more effective disease control measures and disease prevention policy and strategies;
- improving animal health and welfare through research, teaching, public education and the provision of services and expert advice to the industry and various quarters of the wider community;
- Our high calibre faculty and staff members focus both on local and international issues, and are actively engaged in enhancing the profile and effectiveness of veterinary training, public health and applied research throughout Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region;
- supporting the efficient and economic production of safe food and animal-based products, both terrestrial and aquatic;
- monitoring current and emerging infectious diseases of animals, particularly food animals, that may impact on human health, including antimicrobial resistant microorganisms in food;
- fostering close collaborations between medical and veterinary personnel with the aim of improving public health.