A child uses the interactive educational learning kit provided with financing from The Hong Kong Jockey Club. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Thursday a new round of pandemic relief initiatives to fight the raging fifth wave of COVID-19, including the provision of rapid antigen test kits to eligible nongovernmental organizations and support for the expansion of community pharmacy services operated by NGOs.
On top of its continuing support for a broad range of community needs, the Club has approved over HK$1.7 billion in additional funding over the past two years to address the impact of the pandemic.
On top of its continuing support for a broad range of community needs, the Club has approved over HK$1.7 billion in additional funding over the past two years to address the impact of the pandemic, including HK$209 million announced on Thursday and over the last two weeks in response to the fifth wave. Cumulatively over 3 million people have benefited.
“True to its commitment to the betterment of our society, the club is standing strong with the community,” said Philip Chen, chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“These are extraordinary times and they call for extraordinary fortitude. Hong Kong has gone through many challenges in the past but each time we have prevailed through our optimism, pragmatism and ‘can-do’ spirit.”
Mindful of the significant challenge of the fifth wave, the club is working closely with NGO partners to roll out the following initiatives in early and mid-March.
500,000 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits for NGOs
The club will support the Hong Kong Council of Social Service in providing more than 500,000 COVID-19 RAT kits to eligible NGOs, helping frontline workers monitor their heath condition and meeting urgent community needs.
Expansion of services provided by NGO-operated community pharmacies
To meet the demand for community pharmacy services, Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association, Health in Action, and Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon have received funding support from the club to expand their drug dispensing services, pharmaceutical care services and support services for nine months.
Production of additional interactive educational learning kits
With schools again affected by the latest wave of the pandemic, the popular “Keysteps@JC Wonder Boxes” and “Jockey Club STARt-up Resource Kits” will be provided to a further 145,000 kindergarten and primary school students via the Hong Kong Christian Service and The Education University of Hong Kong.
A worker operates a high-efficiency air purifier at the Po Lam Jockey Club Housing for the Elderly. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Installation of high-efficiency air purifiers and HEPA filters in residential care homes
The “Jockey Club Facilities Enhancement Scheme for Preparedness at Residential Care Homes” will be expanded in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department to support residential care homes for the elderly, residential care homes for persons with disabilities, and nursing homes with residents/staff members associated with preliminarily positive/confirmed COVID-19 cases to install additional high-efficiency air purifiers and HEPA filters.
Expansion of the Jockey Club Food Assistance Program
To support the food insecure, including those affected by quarantine measures due to the pandemic, the club is expanding the scope of the Jockey Club Food Assistance Program.
Apart from the initiatives, the club is in discussion with NGO partners on two programs to address the unmet social and healthcare needs of vulnerable individuals:
Affordable access to general outpatient services in the community in view of the conversion of some of the Hospital Authority’s General Outpatient Clinics to designated COVID-19 clinics.
Caring calls, home visits, delivery of daily necessities, and health supports through NGO partners, supported by the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Details of both the above programs will be announced in due course.
