CityUHK and Bank of China boost home-based healthcare for seniors
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As a leading commercial and internationalised regional bank firmly rooted locally for over a century, Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (BOCHK) is one of the three note-issuing banks and the sole clearing bank for Renminbi business in Hong Kong. With the physical and mental health of the underprivileged and disadvantaged in mind, BOCHK is dedicated to helping those in need by supporting various kinds of medical projects.
Last October, BOCHK donated to CityU in support of the “HomAge: Home-based Aging for Transformative Community Care” project led by the College of Business. The project aims to promote the concept of “home-based aging” while boosting self-care and health of the elderly.
According to government data, Hong Kong’s ageing population is expected to grow. With the aim of alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare system and enhancing the health condition and quality of life of the elderly, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, CityUHK’s HomAge project offers personalised, community-based healthcare services with professional support from nurses and social workers.
Mrs Kung Yeung Ann Yun Chi, Deputy Chief Executive of BOCHK, says she is delighted that CityUHK has applied its professional knowledge with innovative research to the project for the enormous benefit of society. “By setting up a community-based and patient-oriented healthcare system supported by professional teams, the project enables patients to receive comprehensive healthcare services at home. In the long run, we can avoid unnecessary hospitalisations and reduce pressure on the public healthcare system,” she explains.
Professor Matthew Lee Kwok-on, Vice-President (Development and External Relations) of CityUHK, deeply appreciates the generous donation from BOCHK. “CityUHK is very strong in technological research and has always been looking for innovative ways to capitalise on our edge to benefit society. BOCHK has helped to make this possible. We believe the donation will empower us to build an integrated people-centered home-based care model and revolutionise the primary care landscape in Hong Kong. The staunch support from BOCHK not only enables our groundbreaking use of big data analytics in elderly care services, but also creates a profound impact on government policy,” he says.
As the Honorary Patron of the CityUHK Foundation, BOCHK has donated generously to CityUHK in support of various initiatives over the years, including scholarships and bursaries for a large number of students. In 2017, CityUHK was privileged to receive a HK$100 million donation from the BOCHK Charitable Foundation to fund the development of veterinary medicine, endowed Chair Professorship, and overseas exchanges and internships for students. In appreciation of the Foundation’s generous support, the Amenities Building has been named the “Bank of China (Hong Kong) Complex”.
This article is extracted from CityUHK Today.