The Hong Kong Medical Association, founded in 1920, brings together all medical practitioners practising in, and serving the people of, Hong Kong. Its objective is to promote the welfare of the medical profession and the health of the public. With the current membership of 12,000 from all sectors of medical practice, it speaks collectively for its members and aims to keep its members abreast of medical ethics and issues around the world. The Association takes pride in displaying in its emblem its motto in Chinese which translates into "to safeguard the health of the people" to pronounce the sacred duty of a medical practitioner to look after his/her patients.