Program highlights:
Since 21 July 2010, Pakistan has been hit by heavy rains. Large areas of north-west Pakistan have been seriously affected by flash floods and river floods. Such worst floods to hit Pakistan since 1929 have affected an estimated 20 million people according to the National and Provincial Disaster Management Authority reports released on 12 October, which accounts for almost one in every ten Pakistanis. Some 70 per cent of the country has been affected, i.e. an area that equates to the size of the UK. Thousands of communities have been totally cut off by raging torrents of water. There are more than 2 million people in need of emergency assistance.

Dr. Ip Wei Chung, a Red Cross volunteer doctor who had been deployed to Haiti for one month as the first emergency medical team to assist in providing health services to earthquake-affected people earlier this year, had recently been deployed to Pakistan on 22 August to serve the floods-affected communities. Dr. Ip was one of the members of the Basic Health Care Emergency Response Unit (BHC ERU) that served in an exceptionally difficult environment with limited resources but immense health care needs. Being one of the first-batch relief workers, Dr. Ip had participated in the assessment of the situations, setting up of mobile clinic, and providing primary care to the local population. He returned to Hong Kong on 15 September with rich memories of such humanitarian journey.

With situation overview and health impact outlined by the Senior Health Coordinator of the Hong Kong Red Cross, Dr. Ip will lay out the challenges and difficulties faced by primary health workers at the frontline.

Speakers:
1. Dr. Ip Wei Chung
With over 22 years of clinical experiences, Dr Ip Wei Chung is currently the Service Director of Clinical & Rehabilitation Services for New Territories East Cluster of the Hospital Authority, and Hospital Chief Executive of Cheshire Home, Shatin. He has devoted himself to teaching medical students in the Chinese University of Hong Kong and is currently Honorary Clinical Associate Professor.  He is also senior medical officer in the Auxiliary Medical Service for medical emergencies and teaching since 2006.

Dr. Ip has joint the Hong Kong Red Cross as healthcare volunteer since October 2008. After receiving relevant trainings in the last two years, he started his first international humanitarian mission with the International Red Cross when he set off for Haiti in January 2010. His dedicated commitment to humanitarian work supports his further engagement in Red Cross mission recently for Pakistan flash floods relief.

2. Ms. Eva Lam
Ms. Eva Lam is a pharmacist by profession and holds a Master Degree in Public Health, specialized in Global Health sector. She joined Hong Kong Red Cross as Senior Health Coordinator since mid 2007. Eva oversees Hong Kong Red Cross’s international medical relief services and development of professional volunteers for international disaster relief. As the service manager, she is responsible for disaster equipment planning and development, training of professional volunteers, mobilization of relief resources, as well as providing technical advice to disaster health programs.

Accreditation:
The seminar carries 1.0 CME point under the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians and the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine. It also carries 1.0 CNE point.

Enquiries & Registration (Registration shall be made by 30 November 2010):
Please contact Ms. Evona Tang of the Hong Kong Red Cross for enquiries and registration. For group registration, please send the completed registration form to Ms. Evona Tang by e-mail or fax on or before 30 November 2010.
Tel No.: 2507 7180
Fax No.: 2824 3693
E-mail: mission@redcross.org.hk

Please click here to learn more about the International and Relief Service of the Hong Kong Red Cross.

Organizers:		Co-organizers: