Media

Medical students strike cans to voice support for breastfeeding

25 Nov 2011

 

To promote breastfeeding and remind the public about the drawbacks of formula milk feeding, a group of medical students from The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine is going to "strike" the citizens this Sunday (November 27) by using formula milk cans as percussion instruments. Through this meaningful activity, the medical students would like to arouse the public concern about baby food.

Breastfeeding has been proven to prevent the risk of obesity during childhood and thus reduce chances of developing cardiovascular diseases in the adulthood. On the other hand, the recent report of Consumer Council in Hong Kong found that some of the claims might be exaggerating and even misleading. As future doctors, HKU medical students will protest against formula milk by striking the formula milk cans in this activity. The medical students hope to arouse the public concern and raise support for breastfeeding. They will also highlight the advantages of breastfeeding and drawbacks of consuming formula milk. During the activity, students will also collect signatures to support the petition: 1) to the Department of Health for release of official advertisements to promote the breastfeeding; and 2) to the Legislative Council for the prompt legislation of an enforceable Hong Kong code of marketing of breast milk substitutes.

Members of the press are cordially invited to cover the event. Details of the activity are as follow:

Date: 27th November, 2011 (Sunday)
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Place: Great George Street, Causeway Bay (near Paterson Street)

For media inquiry, please contract Matthew Ho (Tel: 96184201) or Abram Chan (Tel:60956762) - Year 3 medical students from The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine.