CUHK
News Centre

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is deeply saddened by the passing of Prof. Lee Shiu-hung, Emeritus Professor of Community Medicine and Honorary Fellow of CUHK, this morning (9 January 2014).

Prof. Joseph J. Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, said, ‘I’m deeply grieved by the passing away of Prof. Lee Shiu-hung, a great leader in the public health and medical sector.  Professor Lee’s foresight led to the establishment of the territory’s first school of public health at CUHK in 2001, arousing public’s awareness of health education and diseases prevention.  After the outbreak of SARS, Professor Lee was appointed as a member of SARS Expert Committee, and the Centre for Health Protection was established the next year to achieve effective prevention and control of diseases – a major vision of Professor Lee.  We are greatly indebted to Professor Lee for his contributions to the Faculty of Medicine, for nurturing numerous medical professionals and launching various programmes to meet the needs of society.  Professor Lee has dedicated himself to the pursuit of the welfare of mankind throughout his life.  His noble spirit is highly admired.’

Prof. Lee Shiu-hung is a specialist in public health, occupational health and administrative medicine.  In 1994, he was appointed as Professor of Community Medicine and as Chairman of the Department of Community and Family Medicine at CUHK.  Professor Lee believed that it is of the greatest importance that public health professionals be trained locally and that educational facilities to that end be provided.  In 1999, he advocated the establishment of a school of public health at CUHK, and took up the onerous task of promotion and facilitation, and became the Founding Director of the School.  In 2001, the first School of Public Health in Hong Kong was established at CUHK, and was officially opened in June the same year.

During his time at CUHK, Professor Lee devoted much of his time and energy towards the development of community and family medicine, and the promotion of public health.  He set up the programmes in public health and epidemiology, and the master’s degree programme in health education.  He pioneered the Centre for Health Education and Health Promotion, started the training programmes for primary and secondary teachers on health education and in promoting the healthy school projects.  To foster the sustainability of health activities at the University, Professor Lee was appointed as Chairman of the University Health Service Committee, Convener of the Steering Committee on the Extra Outpatient Services, and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Health Promotion and Protection, which seeks to promote health and hygiene work on campus and train up students as Campus Health Ambassadors.

Professor Lee retired in June 2001.  The University bestowed on him the title of Emeritus Professor in Community Medicine and Honorary Fellowship in 2002 and 2009 respectively, to recognize his outstanding achievements in the practice and study of medicine and his contributions to CUHK.  He was also an Honorary Advisor of The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Honorary Adviser for External Affairs of Institute of Chinese Medicine, and a Senior College Tutor at Chung Chi College.