04/12/2025
【大埔火災義務醫生的心聲】
大埔宏福苑火災，是香港數十年來最嚴重的災難，震撼了全世界。這場火災奪去逾150條生命，影響數千居民。我們深切哀悼，並向消防員、救護、搜索生命的前線人員，以及在社區庇護中心協助康復與重建的無數義工，致以最誠摯的感謝。他們冒着一切危險，只為守護生命。
面對如此痛心的悲劇，我感到無力之餘，也渴望以一位老人科醫生的身份，出一分力。於是，我加入了由基層醫療署統籌的大埔火災庇護中心醫療站。
我的第一位病人，是一位婆婆與她智障的女兒。婆婆在火災中失去了糖尿病及高血壓藥；女兒經護士檢查後，發現血壓偏高。她們不單失眠，也飽受創傷記憶閃回的困擾——這些急性壓力反應，大大加深了二人痛楚。我耐心聆聽她們的經歷，輕聲詢問其睡眠、食慾及其他症狀。幸好，她們沒有失去至親，卻也難免極度受驚。醫療站設有電子病歷系統（醫健通及 HAGo），方便安排藥物補給，直至下次覆診。稍作休息後，她們的血壓逐漸穩定。在這特殊的醫療站，我們都用心聆聽、細心照顧每位病人，盡量減少繁瑣的文書與程序，讓他們安心。
#化哀痛為行動
在這場浩劫中，我們每位醫生都因同理心與失落而凝聚。儘管素未謀面，眾人都瞬間因心而合。我與一位當區家庭醫生並肩工作，他認出了一位舊病人，激動地擁抱對方，原來災後他已逐一聯絡了宏福苑的病人。還有一位年輕麻醉科醫生，凌晨值班至下午一時，隨即趕來投入義務工作。多謝另一位放射科醫生、一位葵青地區康健中心的護士、一位藥房藥劑師，以及來自私營醫療機構的人員，耐心指導我這裏的各樣運作。我也聽了房屋部門、社工及輔導員的分享，讓我更了解各項服務如何幫助受影響的人。大家心裏明白，我們都是因為同樣的哀痛來到這裏，背景各異不成問題，反而促成了出色的團隊合作。
災難帶來痛苦，但同時展現出人性的光輝——眾人不願旁觀他人的痛苦，瞬間自發支援，化悲傷為力量，凝聚成有效且有意義的行動。
#一站式支援
當一切在火中化為烏有，前路茫茫。大家都希望提供無縫的實際支援，減輕災民焦慮，尤其是那些已出現急性壓力反應的人。對於失去至親的人，認屍與辦理喪事已夠沉重，還要面對申請支助、尋找臨時住所、補領身份證及補充必需藥物等連連事務，身心俱疲。
這個由政府籌組的「一站式」平台，結合社會福利、醫療、房屋及入境事務 ，還有中醫及其他支援。這些服務設於室內社區會堂或體育館等地方，每個家庭均有專屬社工跟進。房屋團隊協助居民尋找過渡性住房；醫療團隊則由義務醫生、護士、社區藥劑師、心理學家及輔導員組成。
一位醫生分享了其經歷：有位女士來到時滿面愁容，但稍後卻展露了笑容。他問原因，女士說：「見到義工在現場為我們解決各樣需要，我感到一份溫暖。」無論居民因何而來，包括陪伴的家人，希望在這裏除得到實際援助，也能感受到安慰。
#復原的第一步
這種整合式支援，在混亂中帶來穩定與團結，同時提醒我們：我們並不孤單。漫長的復原路上，大家並肩而行。縱使悲劇留下深刻烙印，都有可能得到治癒；那怕是較脆弱的一群，也可以慢慢體現「創傷後成長」(post traumatic growth)，從這經驗中找到更深層的意義。
對我而言，這是一段人性光輝的經歷——社會為失落者而集合，悼念逝者，扶持生者，並承諾不會隨時間而淡忘。
Reflections of a geriatrician volunteer at the Tai Po Fire mobile medical clinic
The Tai Po Wang F*k Court residential estate fire, Hong Kong’s deadliest in decades, has shaken our community to its core. With over 150 lives lost among more than 4,000 residents, we all mourn deeply and extend our heartfelt gratitude to firefighters, paramedics, first responders who risked everything to save lives, and the countless volunteers working in community shelters to assist in recovery and rebuilding.
Transforming grief into action
Feeling helpless to witness this seismic tragedy, I wanted to do something. So I volunteered at a Tai Po Fire community mobile medical clinic with my geriatrician background. The service was well coordinated by the Primary Healthcare Commission, Health Bureau.
My first patients were an elderly woman and her mentally disabled daughter. The elder had lost her diabetic and hypertensive medications in the fire. The daughter, screened by a nurse, was found to have elevated blood pressure. Both were grappling with insomnia and flashbacks—hallmarks of acute stress reactions that compounded their distress.
I took the time to slowly listen to their ordeal, inquiring gently about their sleep, appetite, and any other symptoms. Fortunately, they had not lost loved ones, but their shock was palpable. I arranged medication refills until their next follow-up appointment by accessing electronic hospital records (eHealth and HAGo). Her blood pressure stabilized after some rest. For all patients like them, we listened, cared, and actively supported their anxieties by minimizing their hurdles of paperwork or phone calls.
In the face of such devastation, our team of doctors, were united by empathy for those suffering and a shared sense of loss.
Many of the team had never met before but were instantly united by a common purpose born from the heart. I worked alongside a local GP who hugged a patient who he recognised as one of his old patients, he was so relieved. He had called every one of his patients living in Wong F*k Court. Then a young anaesthetist who had just finished an overnight call on duty at HA hospital 1 pm and hurried to start her duty at this station , another radiologist, a nurse from Kwai Tsing District Health Centre, a pharmacist from Watson’s. A coordinator from a private healthcare organisation guided me through the forms and reporting. Housing, social worker, counsellors shared with me their work as I wanted to understand how all these services would serve those affected. Diverse backgrounds posed no barriers for magnificent teamwork. It was unspoken but we were all there because we all grieved inside too and wanted to do a little to help.
Disasters do bring suffering. However, it also reveals our best selves, as communities spontaneously come together in altruism and mutual aid. People rally to combat the helplessness of witnessing others’ pain—by contributing and transforming grief into collective and meaningful action.
A one stop shop
Everyone shared a common desire towards integrating seamless practical support to reduce anxiety, especially as many already had acute stress reactions. When one has lost everything in the fire, the path forward can feel bewildering. For the bereaved, the immense pain of identifying deceased loved ones and arranging funerals is compounded by urgent tasks like applying for donations and funds, securing interim housing, or replacing identity cards and refilling essential medications.
Our clinic, was part of a one-stop hub model coordinated by government, with social welfare, care teams, housing and immigration, access to Chinese medicine and other support.
This was assembled in an indoor community hall or sports center, and facilitated social welfare dedicated care manager to each household. Housing team worked with each household to identify transitional housing options. Medical teams onsite consisted of volunteer doctors, nurses, community pharmacists, psychologists, counselors.
First steps in a journey of recovery
This streamlined approach fostered a sense of stability and solidarity amid chaos. A reminder that we are not alone; we will walk through this together, mindful of the long recovery ahead. Healing is possible for all who were touched by the tragedy, and I learned that even the less resilient are capable of “post traumatic growth”.
I found comfort in what one doctor shared. One lady initially showed a very sad facial expression but suddenly changed to a smiling face. He asked why and she said that she could feel some warmth whe she saw voluntary workers to relieve their needs on site. No matter the reason they came, everyone including those family members who accompanied them could feel our heart of service and were comforted
For me, it is a beautiful experience of humanity that rallies around the lost—honoring those gone, supporting those in need, and committing not to forget as time passes.
#老治號 #香港老人科醫學會 #老人 #長者 #老人科 #大埔火災 #宏福苑 #庇護中心 #醫療站 #義工 #醫務衛生局 #基層醫療署 #葵青地區康健中心
