Since the fifth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, Hong Kong’s healthcare system has faced unprecedented challenges. In response to high demand for the Hospital Authority (HA)’s support hotline, Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU) set up a new call centre today (28 March) to help the HA receive and handle inbound calls and make follow-up outbound calls. This is part of the University’s ongoing effort to help the community fight the virus.

Located in the HKMU Jockey Club Institute of Healthcare, the call centre supports 10 hotlines from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. The call centre is operated by over 130 professionally trained student and staff volunteers from HKMU’s School of Nursing and Health Studies, who will handle enquiries about healthcare information and referrals for appropriate follow-up support.

HKMU President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing, Provost Prof. Reggie Kwan Ching-ping and Vice President (Resources and Development) Prof. Lui Yu-hon visited the call centre on the first day of operation to encourage the student and staff volunteers. Prof. Lam said, “The fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a major public health crisis for Hong Kong. In the face of the worsening situation, our nursing students and teachers are applying their professional knowledge and expertise to help the community cope with the challenges. Setting up and staffing this call centre is one of their initiatives. In addition to providing timely support for COVID-19 patients, their service will alleviate pressure on frontline healthcare workers. HKMU will continue to join hands with the community to overcome the pandemic.”

Over the past two months, HKMU has devoted its utmost efforts to help the community combat the virus. To ensure that frontline workers are well protected for their work, HKMU healthcare volunteers conducted N95 mask fit tests for workers in the COVID-19 facilities in AsiaWorld-Expo and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, as well as in the Chi Lin Nunnery Chi Lin Home for the Elderly. They have also provided vaccination service for the elderly in a nursing home.

Hospital Authority COVID-19 Hotline to Support Confirmed Cases Pending Admission to Isolation Facilities
Hotline: 1836 115 (Operation Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Sunday)