AstraZeneca endeavours to be a leading and responsible healthcare partner of Hong Kong. As a global biopharmaceutical company, we focus on improving ‘access to healthcare’ as one of our sustainability commitments. Besides providing life-changing medicines, we also put our commitment into action through engagement and partnership. This year, AstraZeneca Hong Kong (AZHK) supports the launch the  first-ever Young Health Programme (YHP) to provide a series of activities to Hong Kong’s young generation, from non-communicable diseases prevention to mental health and wellbeing through rugby trainings.

On 23 February, AZHK announced the official launch of Young Health Programme and donated HK$400,000 to KELY Support Group in support of the ‘City Wide Youth Sports Wellbeing Initiative’. In appreciation of the partnership, a kick-off ceremony was held at AstraZeneca Hong Kong office. Mr Gwenael Meneux, General Manager of AstraZeneca Hong Kong and Macau welcomes our the YHP partner with KELY Support Group.

“To reduce non-communicable diseases and promote mental health of young generations are the sustainability strategies of AstraZeneca. We believe that physical and mental health are interconnected, and both are essential for youth development. Rugby is a physically demanding sport and requires intensive collaboration between players. Our Young Health Programme, using rugby as a medium, not only addresses the healthcare need of youth, but also helps them to achieve all-round excellence, ” he said in his welcome remarked.

The Young Health Programme brings together two established organisations who have had extensive experience in youth services. KELY Support Group will work with Hong Kong Rugby Union Community Foundation to roll out the ‘City Wide Youth Sports Wellbeing Initiative’, providing holistic rugby training and online mental health education to youth.

The rugby training will be run from September 2021 till March 2022, targeting 600 young people aged 12-16. During the rugby training, youth are encouraged to complete an online course about mental health and wellbeing in sport.

About the Young Health Programme

The Young Health Programme is a philanthropic initiative by AstraZeneca, aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of young people across the globe. Founded in 2010, the Young Health Programme has already reached over three million young people through peer education and public health communications across 26 countries, involving almost 5,000 AstraZeneca volunteers and training 20,000 frontline health providers in adolescent health.