Last night, Macau Red Cross hosted a dinner to the local Chinese media

(Transferred from Va Kio Daily) Mr. Eddie Wong, President of Macau Red Cross Central Council, told his guests yesterday that MRC assorted with Macau Social Welfare Bureau¡¦s integration and reorganization on Medical Transfer Services in the region, and had assumed full commitment on the Non-emergency Medical Transfer Services, as of 15th December of last year. In 2017, this Service provided 22,558 man-times transfer services for patients with mobility impairment, and 6,454 man-times transfer services for discharged patients from medical institutions.

Last night, MRC hosted a dinner for the local media. Mr. Eddie Wong summarized their work of last year. He lamented that the monster "Typhoon Hato" devastated serious destruction in Macau. In the peak of the disaster, MRC set up six mobile first aid stations in the most serious-hit areas in Macau peninsula, Taipa and Coloane islands, and dispatched 117 man-times of its civil defense and first-aid crews, together with four ambulances to provide emergency medical service for 211 wounded residents, relief workers and volunteers while rendering rescue services for others. At the hard-hit areas, MRC volunteers issued to victims household cleaning kits with a total value of MOP97,000, procured locally and in Mainland. In addition, another 500 disinfection kits which were donated by Hong Kong enthusiastic enterprises were also distributed. Volunteers and Youth Group members energetically took part in the street clean-up, distribution of drinking water, dried food and disinfection items to the elderly with mobility issues for alleviating their urgent needs. They also collaborated with Hong Kong Red Cross professionals to provide the victims with psychological counselling, and made more than 700 solicitous phone calls to the Medical Transfer Service users, to find out their current situation and needs. At the same time, together with six professional construction associations they inspected the homes of some 40 desperate families and repaired their damaged doors and windows. Moreover, the Galaxy Entertainment Foundation allocated MOP5,565,000 to support the extended disaster prevention and preparedness. Also, donation of MOP1,548,195 was collected from the generous local residents, including MOP282,000 from the ardent Chamber of Commerce as to extend their condolence to the surviving families who had lost their love ones in this natural disaster.

Disaster relief and disaster preparedness and post-disaster reconstruction have always been MRC¡¦s focal points. Last year, 1,300 family relief packs and emergency cash donation were separately distributed to the affected victims for the flood in Guizhou, Hunan Province, mud-slides in Gansu, and floods in Sri Lanka. All in all, a total of MOP788,000 was mobilized from its emergency relief funds. Moreover, in mainland, a number of post-disaster reconstruction projects and philanthropic construction projects had been successively completed with three schools, one maternal and child health care center, one township Red Cross disaster preparedness center, four integrated community Resilience programs, two village bridges and five village clinics. Apart from the above achievements, MRC also collaborated with mainland Red Cross Society for ways to conserve relief supplies and conduct regular disaster relief exercises.

First Aid School continues to strive in promoting first aid knowledge to the public. 275 first aid lectures and regular courses were conducted in 2017, with 5,069 people in attendance. Among the above, 38 first aid lectures and a water life-saving course were organized for government agencies, schools and NGOs.

In 2017, the first aid volunteer team dispatched 2,521 man-times to respond to 325 on-site services in various large-scale local events, provided first aid treatments to 1,360 wounded on the spot. The community volunteer team spent 1,311 man-times to provide 82 community-care and health services for 3,260 man-time chronic disease patients, disabled, live-alone elderly, and single-parent families. As for adolescent development, the Youth Uniformed Group currently has 432 members plaited in eight groups and fourteen teams. The young group members have grown up from forging and active participation in various training courses and social welfare activities, and possessing solid foundation to serve the community in the near future.

MRC organized several teams of volunteers and young people to Mainland, Hong Kong and Mongolia for exchange activities, various training and seminars. A first aid team attended the "4th National Red Cross First Aid Competition" in Heifei City and received an ¡¥Outstanding Organization¡¦ award.

The Tracing Service had an outstanding and successful rate of 80% last year. There were ten tracing requests from both local and overseas, and 8 families were able to reconnect with their missed love ones.