Page 12 - Sphere No.9 (Sep 2003)

C O M M U N I T Y
SPHERE
10
Kong (Holdings) contributed the
Innomedia videophones
U NITED FRONT
TheVideoVisit Service was by no means
the only gesture on the part of HWL
companies.The SARS crisis brought out
the best in all the businesses and
employees alike. They demonstrated
uncommon unity and generosity,
reflecting the fighting spirit of the Hong
Kong public at large.
The World Health Organization
(WHO) first reported the SARS
outbreak in Hong Kong on March 12
and the fight-back began immediately,
with hospitals and medical staff in the
frontline. As the virus spread, the public
became reluctant to visit hospitals and
clinics. Some hospitals reported that as
many as 20% of Hong Kong’s estimated
one million chronic illness patients
skipped their scheduled appointments,
preferring to get their health information
elsewhere. In some cases, they even failed
to pick up their medication. As a
consequence, the demand for health-
related information soared.
To meet this demand, Watsons Your
Personal Store started publishing leaflets
and extended operating hours of its
pharmaceutical services.With 139 stores
in the territory, Hong Kong’s favourite
high street health & beauty chain already
had the experience and infrastructure to
make a significant impact. A year earlier
the chain had established the “Pharmacy
Self Care Programme” to provide
health-care advice to customers.
Watsons estimated that in April alone
more than 100,000 people sought
advice from pharmaceutical service
providers or collected leaflets on SARS
prevention tips.
Watsons also teamed up with the
Drug Education Resources Centre
(DERC) to launch the “General
Drugs & SARS Hotline,” the first
professional counselling service of its
kind in Hong Kong.
The Hotline had widespread volunteer
support from institutions, community
clinics and other public health
organisation pharmacists. With a huge
surge in demand for professional advice
and information, pharmacy graduates
from the Chinese University of Hong
Kong donated their time to answer
general calls and offer professional drug
and healthcare counselling.
Hutchison Whampoa Properties
(HWP) meanwhile was among the first
companies in Hong Kong to implement
the most stringent cleaning procedures
at all the properties under its
management to protect and reassure
tenants and visitors.
RACING TO THE RESCUE
The PARKnSHOP (PNS) supermarket
chain initiated a two-week fundraising
campaign – in conjunction with
affiliated retailers Great, Watsons Wine
Cellar and Fortress – to raise money for
the “We Care Education Fund” to help
children who have lost one or both
parents to SARS.
“The outbreak brought immeasurable
tragedy to many families, and at least
30 children have been orphaned
by the disease,” said Iwan Evans, CEO of
the A.S.Watson Group’s Food, Electronics
& General Merchandise division.
“PARKnSHOP wants to do something
practical and demonstrate our sympathy
with these families, and the deep sense of
loss we share with the entire community.”
The initiative worked in three ways:
Firstly, PNS donated 1% of all its Hong
Kong sales on two shopping days;
secondly, customers contributed their
loose change at collection boxes located
at checkout counters, and; thirdly, staff
were encouraged to make donations.
PNS and partners had hoped to raise
HK$1 million, but the effort was such a
resounding success that the final figure
was more than double at HK$2,108,288
(approximately US$270,000).
After the fund-raising period, PNS
collected a further HK$242,541 for
“Project Blossom,” an initiative by the
Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild
and co-organised by local daily Ming
Pao, to help SARS-affected families.
Throughout the fight-back, PNS was
also active in various other initiatives,
providing foodstuffs for medical
personnel; donating gift bags to cheer
up Amoy Gardens residents (the worst-
hit community) who had been placed
in isolation camps; and contributing
prizes for a TV charity show held in
benefit of Amoy Gardens residents.
Watsons Water also offered support to
the Amoy Gardens community,
sponsoring distilled water.
Meanwhile, doing what it does best,
PNS ensured that Hong Kong residents
did not run short of cleaning supplies
to combat the SARS virus. PNS
airfreighted in supplies such as bleach,
liquid soap and protective gloves at no
extra expense to customers. PNS also
sourced a million oranges for health-care
workers on behalf of the Li Ka Shing
Foundation (see sidebar) .
In other initiatives taken by HWL’s
associated companies, Hongkong
Electric (HKE) offered loan-guarantee
measures to help retail, restaurant,
tourism and entertainment businesses,
which were the worst hit. In addition,
HKE donated HK$125,000 in support
of the “Operation UNITE” campaign.
To express their respect for frontline
medical staff, Hutchison Harbour Ring,
HWL’s manufacturing arm, donated
HK$20,000 to the “One Heart One
Mind Anti-SARS” campaign.
Fortress, the electrical appliance retail
chain, also pitched in to help distribute
the Red Cross “Heart-to-Heart Cards”
through its outlets.The cards gave SARS
prevention tips and urged the public to
show appreciation for medical personnel
and encouragement to patients.
Once the virus had been contained,
HWL again gave generously, this time
HK$100,000 in support of the
establishment of the Sports Medicine
Foundation for SARS Rehabilitation.
The initiative will help patients to
overcome the effects of prolonged
immobilisation and to regain an active
and productive quality of life.
CARING COMMUNITY
As a major player in Hong Kong, the
HWL Group employs almost 30,000
The Li Ka-shing Group raised
and contributed a total of
HK$6,549,474 towards the fight
against SARS