Macau emergency medical team to help in Algeria

The China International Emergency Medical Team (Macao) is deploying five members to Algeria to assist in a 15-day Covid-19 response mission, the Health Bureau (SSM) announced yesterday at its daily press briefing.
The five local medical personnel will set off from their trip today. They will depart Macau on a chartered flight to Algeria, with a stopover in Chongqing, where they will be joined by 15 medical professionals from mainland China.
All five members going to Algeria have experience containing the spread of the disease in Macau, which is an advantage for them on the mission. The team comprises two doctors and a nurse from the public Conde São Januário Hospital (CHCSJ), as well as two officers; one from the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the other from the Office of the director of the SSM.
Mio Chi Fong, leader of the Macau team and doctor at the Accident and Emergency Department of the CHCSJ, expressed a feeling of honor on behalf of the team for being able to take part in the mission and believes that the team is well prepared.
Mio expects that their experience will help the response to the virus in the north African country.
Given the geographic and other differences, he believes they may acquire new knowledge or be otherwise inspired in the mission.
Furthermore, he noted that the north African country is heavily affected by the disease, with an infection count of more than 4,000 people and a death rate of about 9%.
With respect to the work they will do in Algeria, Mio said that the team will share its Covid-19 response experience with Algerian medical personnel and conduct academic exchange with medical professionals.
In addition, they will assist in the review and refinement of Algerian epidemic control measures and procedures. They will also conduct research in some cities, and train local civil servants and members of the public on measures to control and prevent Covid-19.
Last year, the Macau team obtained accreditation from the WHO, making it the fifth of its kind in the People’s Republic of China, as well as the 25th in the world. Prior to being accredited, members of the team underwent training to equip them with the capability of handling emergency situations.
On top of the deployment of the Macau emergency response team, other topics were covered at the press conference. The panel of officials was asked whether nurseries and daycare services for senior residents would resume, considering school levels from primary school will have resumed by mid-June.
Dr Alvis Lo Iek Long, medical director of the CHCSJ, responded on behalf of the government by reading from a paper he said was delivered by his colleagues in the social welfare departments.
The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) noted that it has no plan to reopen subsidized nurseries across the city. Those not taking government subsidies have been discouraged by the bureau to reopen, although some of them have disregarded this advice.
When it comes to daycare services for senior residents, the IAS stated that strategies have been provided to service providers. “In the foreseeable future, daycare services for senior residents will resume for those with special needs and only at limited capacity,” the bureau disclosed.
Similar to the resumption of all services of public interest, there will be a two-week buffer period between the announcement and services resuming, the IAS noted.
Not present at the press conference, the Cultural Affairs Bureau announced yesterday that certain cultural facilities would be reopened from May 15. Such facilities include libraries, galleries, as well as leisure and study venues.