Paul Pun to open social clinic targeting city’s vulnerable groups

Paul Pun

A plan to open a social clinic targeting the SAR’s low-income earners is underway as Paul Pun, general secretary of Caritas Macau, initiates a personal project which he intends to operate as soon as possible.

Pun recently took over a private clinic which was offered to him by a local medical practitioner in a bid to assist migrant workers with the burden of expensive medical costs.

According to him, a significant number of migrant workers are not getting treated due to the high medical costs, thus developing their ailments into serious illnesses.

Pun intends to improve the running of this clinic after finding two doctors who are willing to volunteer on a specific time basis.

“The locals have medical vouchers amounting to MOP600, but migrants do not. I believe the government will not give them so for those who are sick and may not be able to afford to go to see a doctor, they can come to this clinic,” Pun explained to the Times.

“What they would usually do is to use their traditional medication or just go to any pharmacy and self-medicate and then, would ask for assistance from charitable organizations when they are already in the intensive care units,” he added.

Currently, Pun aims to have doctors who are fluent in English so they can accommodate English-speaking migrants.

The clinic, which is located nearby Av. De Almeida Ribeiro, will be temporarily closed despite its acquisition of license, until it finds at least a doctor who is willing to voluntarily put aside some time for migrant workers.

According to Pun, there are doctors in the public sector who are willing to volunteer, yet lamented that these doctors are not allowed to conduct services in the private sector.

“I am not sure whether they can volunteer but I am sure they can just give some advice to patients without prescribing medications. We’re looking at retired doctors, or doctors who are willing to be employed [for minimum pay],” Pun explained.

He hopes to operate this clinic as a social enterprise, not to make profits but to offer help to the SAR’s migrant workers, particularly those who are household employees.

“It’s a basic need. It’s a basic element for them to have primary medical care [so] this is the first step that we can do. It’s important to do something and serve the migrants. We’re not here to compete with the market,” Pun said.

“We do not intend to profit from these clinics. Otherwise, we’re just like the other clinics. It’s a way of maintaining and promoting health amongst migrant workers,” he added.

Pun plans to open the clinic every other day and permanently on Sundays, and to allot a specific quota during its operation hours.

Currently, he is planning to maximize the purpose of the clinic, as the only factor hindering it now from opening is the lack of doctors.

Pun also says that there are no plans to request any sponsorship from the government as yet, as he has already received sponsorships in terms of medical equipment and clinic rents.

Job seekers prone to high recruitment fees if bill passes

The general secretary of Caritas Macau, Paul Pun, says that the proposed recruitment agency bill – which will prevent recruitment agencies from hiring tourists – will result in job seekers paying higher agency fees.

Currently under discussion by one of the standing committees of the Legislative Assembly, the proposed bill will only affect non-skilled workers. Pun explained that the government is aiming to manage job hunters in the region.

“Recruitment agencies will only have good reason to earn money. […] It has both pros and cons but for us, if we intend to go with the new proposal, we have to control the money-making of agencies,” said Pun.

“The government should make sure that the procedures would not encourage more agency fees.”

He suggested that the proposed bill should only apply to certain professions, noting that those in cleaning occupations should not be included in the proposal, as no training is required for that role, compared to those working in households as babysitters.