Hong Kong residents hailing from Hubei played a big role in helping the central Chinese province overcome the COVID-19 crisis, facilitating the donation of more than 100 million yuan (US$14.14 million) in funds and medical supplies.
The efforts were made by the Federation of Hong Kong Hubei Associations, which has more than 1,000 members of Hubei origin, who live in the SAR or are closely attached to the province in business or other sectors.
They sourced the globe for vital supplies like personal protective equipment, antiviral drugs and even food.
Members also solicited donations from people they knew through the social media like WeChat.
Hong Kong businessman Tse Chun-ming, who chairs the association, had already built two hospitals in Wuhan — the Wuhan Asia General Hospital and the Wuhan Asia Heart Hospital.
Dozens of employees in the two hospitals were infected with COVID-19 in the early stages due to a lack of protection gear, which was short in supply when the virus rocked the province.
As word of the outbreak spread, unsolicited donations started coming in on Jan 24, Chinese New Year’s Eve.
Staff of the association were on the job around the clock, counting funds, updating information and coordinating with hospitals, charity organizations and local authorities in Hubei, senior secretary of the association, Karen Lu Hairong, told China Daily.
Some supplies went directly to hospitals across Hubei, including cities like Wuhan, Yichang, Jingzhou and Xiangyang. As Hubei was locked down, association members went to Shenzhen to organize express delivery shipments to Hubei, vice-chairman of the association Kai Ngan-ping explained.
The association contacted volunteers to pick up goods at local airports, and liaised with those in Hubei to ensure the supplies went directly to frontline medical staff, Kai said.
With the joint efforts, many medical workers in Hubei avoided getting infected, and the virus was successfully brought under control in the province in less than three months.
