Occupational Therapy Summit 2026

Primary Healthcare
in Asia Pacific

Advancing occupational therapy in primary healthcare through regional partnership, innovation, and shared vision across Asia Pacific.

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Event Location

Data Technology Hub, 5 Chun Cheong St, Tseung Kwan O

Event Time

9th May,2026
9:30am to 5pm

About Event

Occupational Therapy Summit 2026 brings regional experts, associations, and practitioners together to share insights, discuss future collaboration, and strengthen occupational therapy’s role in primary healthcare systems across Asia Pacific communities.

Message from Dr. Fei-chau PANG,
Commissioner for Primary Healthcare,
Health Bureau, Hong Kong Government

Coming soon

Coming soon

Dr. PANG Fei-chau, Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Health Bureau, Hong Kong Government
MESSAGE FROM PROFESSOR JOHN LEE CHI-KIN, JP
PRESIDENT, EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

An opening speech from Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, JP

Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, JP, President and Chair Professor of Curriculum and Instruction Education University of Hong Kong
Message from Sanne FONG, Chairperson of HKOTA cum Chairperson of the OT Summit 2026 Organising Committee

Advancing Occupational Therapy Collaboration for Primary Care Across Asia Pacific

Sanne Fong, highlights the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ 2024 Position Statement on Occupational Therapy and Primary Care, which defines the OT role within interdisciplinary primary care teams and underscores its community importance. Amid global trends—rising non-communicable diseases, ageing populations, and escalating system costs—primary care is evolving to include interdisciplinary teams (WHO). Occupational therapists are autonomous professionals who deliver essential primary care interventions, supporting people of all ages and abilities to participate in everyday activities they want, need, or are expected to do.

In the Asia Pacific, OTs play a similarly vital role, though practices vary culturally. Occupational therapy supports meaningful engagement across the lifespan and therefore deserves inclusion in primary care planning. The OT Summit 2026 has been organized to respond to this global shift by providing a platform for sharing knowledge and fostering regional collaboration. Through exchange of experiences and practices, participants can better assess current services, build confidence, and work toward regional service references and future directions. Sanne invites attendees to join this collaborative vision and help shape the future of OT in primary care across the Asia Pacific.

Ms. Sanne FONG Siu-Lai, Chairperson of Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association (HKOTA)
Message from Stella Cheng, President of APOTRG

The close bonding between Primary Health Care and Occupational Therapy

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association and the Education University of Hong Kong for hosting the Occupational Therapy Summit 2026 focusing on Primary Healthcare Service in the region. ‘Occupational Therapy (OT) promotes health and wellbeing by supporting participation in meaningful occupations that people want, need, or are expected to do.’ (WFOT, 2025) ‘Primary Health Care is a whole-of-society approach to health that aims at ensuring the highest possible level of health and well-being and their equitable distribution by focusing on people’s needs and as early as possible along the continuum from health promotion and disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, and as close as feasible to people’s everyday environment.’ (WHO, 1978) There is no better way to promote health and wellbeing by integrating that in people’s daily life. That is also why OT are so closely knitted with Primary Health Care.

This summit will be a great occasion that the OTs in the region can share and learn from each other. Most importantly, we can work together to develop OT service primary health care in the region!

Ms. Stella CHENG, President of Asia Pacific Occupational Therapy Regional Group (APOTRG)
Welcome Message from the Co-Organizer

Shaping Primary Healthcare Through Occupational Therapy Collaboration

On behalf of the organizing committee, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to the Occupational Therapy Summit 2026: Primary Healthcare in Asia Pacific. The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) is honored to participate as co-organizer of this major event that gathers OT and Primary Healthcare (PHC) leaders, experts and practitioners from across the Asia Pacific region to discuss our roles in enhancing the community’s overall health and well-being.

The provision of accessible and quality PHC serves as the foundation of a sustainable healthcare system. Occupational therapy, with its emphasis on preventive care and early intervention, chronic disease management, community-based care and psychosocial wellbeing, offers strong potential to drive the success of PHC. It is therefore crucial to develop a professional platform that facilitates international, interdisciplinary collaboration among all healthcare professionals and researchers for enhanced patient care and outcomes within the region. By co-hosting the OT Summit 2026 with the Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Alliance, we hope that the exchange of ideas would translate into impactful solutions that bridges existing health gaps within and across all borders.

In addition to fostering professional connections and developments, EdUHK is undertaking a strategic initiative to prepare future OT professionals to serve in primary care settings by launching its new Master of Occupational Therapy programme in September this year. Future OT practitioners would also be expected to master the use of AI and advanced assistive technology to ensure the efficient delivery of community-based health services and patient empowerment.

The work to build up a critical mass ready for the primary healthcare future cannot be achieved in isolation. That is the reason we gather great minds within the region for innovative ideas. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our distinguished guests, speakers and participants from Hong Kong and abroad to join us at the Summit today, especially for Dr Pang Fei-chau, Commissioner for Primary Healthcare at the Health Bureau in the Hong Kong SAR Government, to officiate the Opening Ceremony for the Summit. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for making this occasion truly special.

I hope all of you would enjoy the dialogues and find the exchange fruitful and rewarding. May this Summit inspire us to shape a future with better health for all.

Chetwyn Chan PhD

Vice President (Research and Development)

The Education University of Hong Kong

Prof. Chetwyn Chan, Vice-President of The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)

Event Schedule

Explore a dynamic two-day programme featuring expert talks, regional sharing, practical discussions, and collaborative sessions designed to strengthen occupational therapy’s role in primary healthcare across Asia Pacific regional systems today.

Opening

09:30 AM - 09:45 AM

Opening Section

Speech from Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Hong Kong
Speech from EdUHK President
Speech from APOTRG President

Speakers

Dr. Fei-chau PANG

Commissioner for Primary Healthcare

Prof. John LEE

President and Chair Professor of Curriculum and Instruction,  EdUHK

Ms. Stella CHENG

Chairperson, APOTRG

Health Qigong (YJJ) presentation

09:45 AM - 10:00 AM

Presented by

HKOTA SIG in Health Qigong cum National Traditional Sports Research

Dr. Bacon NG

Ms. Ashley NG

Ms. Hannah KU

Ms. June CHAO

Presentation

10:00 AM - 11:20 AM

Moderator:
Prof. Andy CHENG

Presentation by representatives of individual Association

China Occupational Therapy Association (COTA)
Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association (HKOTA)
Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists (JAOT)
Korean Association of Occupational Therapists (KAOT)

Speakers

Prof. Kuicheng LI

President of China Occupational Therapy Association

Ms. Sanne FONG

Chairperson of Hong Kong Occupational Therapy Association

Mr. Shinichi YAMAMOTO

President of Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists

Ms. Jieun LEE

President of Korean Association of Occupational Therapists

Presentation

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Moderator:
Mr. Damian SIU

Presentation by representatives of individual Association

Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists (SAOT)
Malaysian Occupational Therapy Association (OT MALAYSIA)
Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA)


Speakers

Ms. Florence CHEONG

WFOT delegate of Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists

Dr. Harnisha HAIDHIR

Vice President of Malaysian Occupational Therapists Association

Dr. Adam LO OAM

Delegates of Occupational Therapy Australia

Q & A

12:30 PM - 12:45 PM

Moderator:
Prof. Andy CHENG
Mr. Damian SIU

Presentation Q & A Section
Lunch Symposium

12:45 PM - 13:45 PM
(With complimentary light lunch box)

Voice-mode environmental control ~ Advance Technology

Speakers

Dr. Kamyar ROUINDEJ

Managing Director
Expertiqa Technologies

Presentation

14:00 PM - 15:00 PM

Moderator:
Dr. Calvin YIP

Presentation by representatives of individual Association

Occupational Therapy Association of Maldives (OATM)
Occupational Therapy Association of Thailand (OTAT)
Philippine Academy of Occupational Therapists (PAOT)


Speakers

Ms. Thooha ADLEY

President of Occupational Therapy Association of Maldives

Mrs. Duen-ngarm PAKDEE

President of Occupational Therapy Association of Thailand

Ms. Thea Sheila Ocheda-ALONTO

President of Philippine Academy of Occupational Therapists 

Presentation

15:20 PM - 16:20 PM

Moderator:
Ms. Amanda PANG

Presentation by representatives of individual Association

Macau Occupational Therapists Association (MOTA)
Taiwan Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA)
Vietnam Occupational Therapy Association (VOTA)


Speakers

Ms. I Man CHIO

Delegate of Macau Occupational Therapists Association

Dr. Mei Ni HSIAO

Director of Taiwan Occupational Therapy Association

Mr. Khac Tuan NGUYEN

President of Vietnam Occupational Therapy Association

Q & A

16:20 PM - 16:40 PM

Moderator:
Dr. Calvin YIP
Ms. Amanda PANG

Presentation Q & A Section
Closing Remark

16:40 PM - 17:15 PM

Consensus meeting

17:30 PM - 18:30 PM

Future development of OT in Primary Healthcare & collaboration

Consensus meeting with all Presidents or delegates for future work and collaboration

*For all Presidents or delegate only

Complimentary Faculty Dinner

19:00 PM

*For All speakers, Presidents and delegates with accompany of the Summit organising committee

Workshop Summary

This upcoming workshop outlines the role of occupational therapists in dementia assessment, integrating ageing, cognitive change, diagnostic frameworks, and functional evaluation. It covers key dementia concepts, diagnostic criteria, and common screening and functional assessment tools. The session concludes by highlighting OT practice within the Australian multidisciplinary care context.

Workshop

09:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Healthy Aging changes in older adults & Dementia, including diagnostic criteria; application of ICF to assess dsability in people with dementia

Speaker

Dr. Aimee Velnoweth

Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist

Workshop

09:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Healthy Aging changes in older adults & Dementia, including diagnostic criteria; application of ICF to assess dsability in people with dementia

Speaker

Dr. Aimee Velnoweth

Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist

Lunch break

12:30 PM - 13:30 PM

Workshop

13:30 PM - 15:30 PM

Evaluate cognitive assessment approaches used by occupational therapists Part 2 Clinical interviewing, cross cultural considerations, informant input, and the selection and interpretation of assessment tools within multidisciplinary care.

Speaker

Dr. Aimee Velnoweth

Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist

Workshop

15:30 PM - 17:30 PM

Identify and explain the diverse ways occupational therapists contribute to dementia care within the Australian context

Speaker

Dr. Aimee Velnoweth

Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist

Partner Organizations

Thank you for supporting us

APOTRG-LOGO-1
Asia Pacific Occupational Therapy Regional Group
ota
Occupational Therapy Australia
bangladesh occupational therapy association Logo
Bangladesh Occupational Therapy Association
cota-logo
China Occupational Therapy Association
Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists logo
Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists
Korea Association of Occupational Therapists logo
Korean Association of Occupational Therapists
Macau Occupational Therapists Association Logo
Macau Occupational Therapists Association
IMG_9542
Malaysian Occupational Therapy Association
Maldives OTAM Logo-1
Occupational Therapy Association of Maldives
Occupational Therapy New Zealand-Logo
Occupational Therapy New Zealand – Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa
PAOT Logo
Philippine Academy of Occupational Therapists
Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists-Logo
Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists
Taiwan Occupational Therapy Association-Logo
Taiwan Occupational Therapy Association
โลโก้สมาคม สีฟ้า OTA Thailand
Occupational Therapist Association of Thailand
Additional Information

Suggested Hotels

Find recommended nearby hotels to help you plan a smooth summit experience.

Dorsett Kwun Tong

Holiday Inn Express (Kwun Tong)

The Royal Garden Kowloon East Hotel

Additional Information

Shuttle and Public Transport

Parking Information

Coming Soon.

Join the OT Summit 2026

Be part of regional collaboration shaping occupational therapy and primary healthcare across Asia Pacific.

Contact us

Get in touch for enquiries, registration details, partnership opportunities, or more information about the summit.

+852 5406 6878

Be part of OT SUMMIT 2026

You will be redirected to HKOTA official website for event registration.

Webinar participation is also available at: