PolyU garners more momentum in supporting reconstruction in Sichuan

May 7, 2009 - PRLog -- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has recently received a total of over HK$10 million in government funding to launch two training projects in Sichuan in support of rehabilitation and reconstruction in the areas stricken by the 512 earthquake.

The two projects, namely "Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Professional Training Support Project" and "Prosthetic and Orthotics Professional Training Support Project", have respectively been awarded a grant of over HK$6 million and HK$4 million from the HKSAR Government Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in Sichuan. They are launched by the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Department of Health Technology and Informatics of PolyU in collaboration with the Sichuan University (SichuanU) to address the shortage of rehabilitation professionals required for the post-disaster reconstruction in the quake-affected areas.

Under the projects, the two universities will jointly offer undergraduate programmes in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, prosthetics and orthotics in Sichuan. Through provision of comprehensive and systematic training in the fields, the projects will not only equip local medical and nurse practitioners with necessary knowledge and skills to render the much needed rehabilitation services to the earthquake victims, but also help groom a critical mass of competent professionals who can assume the leading role in the future long-term reconstruction in Sichuan.

Prof. Angelina Yuen, PolyU Associate Vice President and Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences said, "Over the past year, PolyU has been working closely with SichuanU to help quake-stricken areas rebuild sustainable communities. Leveraging on the expertise of the two institutions, I am confident that the projects will further contribute to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Sichuan and help the victims restore their normal lives."

Apart from offering professional advice on the design of the training programmes, PolyU will also send its rehabilitation experts to take up teaching duties, provide in-depth training for and support clinical studies of the medical students in SichuanU. The programmes are expected to send forth the first batch of rehabilitation professionals in the province - a total of 40 physiotherapists and occupational therapists and 60 prosthetics and orthotics students in 2012.  They will become the backbone of future training and development of the relevant professions in Sichuan and also other areas in the mainland.

On the other hand, the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) and School of Nursing (SN) of PolyU will also render continued support to post-disaster care and community reconstruction in Sichuan. APSS will organize a project entitled "Sichuan 5.12 Disaster Brings Transcendence - 'Capacity Building' Professional Support to Post-disaster Reconstruction" in three years to help local social workers and government officials gain better understanding of the theories and practical knowledge, as well as skills to support post-disaster recovery initiatives. An asset-based post-disaster reconstruction project will also be kicked off in quake-affected areas including Yingxiu and Qingping village to develop assets for community development. Moreover, two projects namely "Sichuan School Social Work Project" and "Wellness Enhancement Project" will be launched to provide further support to the students and children as well as medical practitioners in Sichuan.

Focusing its effort on post-disaster healthcare education, SN will organize international conferences, workshops and training programmes in collaboration with SichuanU Huaxi Hospital for local medical and nurse practitioners. It will also conduct health needs assessment for communities in Dujiangyan and set up health self-management activity rooms to provide evidence-based health information and solutions which are tailor-made for the temporary housing residents.

To mark the one-year memorial of the 512 earthquake, PolyU and SichuanU will co-host an International Symposium on Post-disaster Recovery and Reconstruction on 11-12 May on the SichuanU campus. The event aims to gather policy makers, academics and experts from around the world as well as front-line quake relief workers to share their knowledge and insights about post-quake relief and reconstruction. Participants of the event will also be arranged to visit selected quake-affected areas to get an update on the reconstruction work.

A photo exhibition featuring the efforts of the two universities in supporting reconstruction of Sichuan will be staged on the PolyU campus from 5-19 May. Some embroidery artwork produced by the women in Yingxiu, in memory of their children who lost their lives in the disaster, will be displayed during the exhibition.

PolyU is dedicated to providing support to the victims of the 512 earthquake in Sichuan. Immediately after the disaster, the University has promptly launched a campus-wide fund-raising campaign and raised over HK$3.5 million to support relief efforts. The subsequent establishment of the "Sichuan Post-disaster Reconstruction Support and Research Centre", which is jointly run by PolyU and SichuanU, has won HK$10 million support from business tycoon Dr Tsang Hin-chi, Founder of the Goldlion Group. Through the four task forces, namely Taskforce on Health Services, Taskforce on Psychological Counseling and Social Reconstruction, Taskforce on Construction and Engineering Technologies and Taskforce on Economic Reconstruction, the Centre provides various services for the quake-affected communities.

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