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After an initial assessment of the local situation in Sichuan, the Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 18) announced that a medical team comprising 19 doctors, nurses and allied health professionals in emergency medicine, orthopaedics, anaesthesiology, infection control is to be deployed to Sichuan in two separate groups to support the Mainland health authorities and medical institutions.
HA Chairman, Mr Anthony Wu, expressed his gratitude to the departing staff members and volunteers for their willingness and commitment to contribute and serve in this disaster. He also thanked other staff members who will stay in Hong Kong for their extra effort in taking up the work of the colleagues being deployed to work in Sichuan.
"Meanwhile, there are also tens of HA staff members who have gone to Sichuan under the deployment of various emergency relief organisations. I would like to thank all these volunteers and the medical team members for volunteering to provide support to the mainland. They symbolise the care and concern of the entire HA for the earthquake victims," added Mr Wu.
HA Chief Executive Mr Shane Solomon, thanked the HA Initial Assessment Team led by HA Chief Manager (Infection, Emergency and Contingency), Dr Liu Shao-haei, for their effort and hard work during the last three days, which helped map out the support in need of by mainland hospitals.
The first group departing today is a three-member team of specialists in infection control led by Professor Ho Pak-leung of the University of Hong Kong. The second group of health care professionals will depart tomorrow (May 19) for Chengdu to join Dr Chow Yuk-yin of Tuen Mun Hospital who is now staying there.
The second group scheduled to depart for Chengdu tomorrow will be led by the Chief of Service (Accident & Emergency) of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Dr Lau Chor-chiu, who has participated in a number of major overseas rescue operations including the tsunami in Thailand and a serious traffic accident in Taiwan.
I am sure that Dr Lau's experience will be very useful in co-ordinating our team of professionals in supporting our mainland counterparts in the provision of medical care to the large number of casualties in the coming weeks," said Mr Solomon.
Mr Solomon also said that this medical team will stay in Sichuan for about seven to 10 days. "A second medical team will be drawn up soon to relieve this team and continue our support to the Mainland if needed."
"The Sichuan earthquake last week is unprecedented, in terms of scale of destruction and number of casualties. This could be a traumatic experience for healthcare professionals participated in the rescue operation," Mr Solomon added that HA would ensure the team members are well equipped with the supplies they need as well as being supported psychologically.
At a pre-departure briefing held today, the medical team members were briefed by clinical psychologists on crisis reactions of the victims, possible psychological impacts on the rescue workers, tips for preventing secondary traumatisation and coping with the stress aroused during rescue, handling acute grief reactions and breaking bad news.
HA will also provide 24-hour contact numbers for families of medical team members who may need assistance.
Ends/Sunday, May 18, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:56
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