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It’s fair to say that Chiu Cheuk-pong, a 49-year-old nurse from Hong Kong, has seen a lot of suffering.
He has travelled the world helping people in need, from fighting the deadly Ebola virus in Liberia to working with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
One memory that sticks with him happened at a medical clinic in Yemen. There, he met a man and his five-year-old grandson. They had lost their family in an air strike, and the boy’s hands had to be cut off.
“Every time he came to our clinic, he asked us to draw a watch on his bandage,” Chiu said. “But we know ... he will never wear a watch.”
In 2015, Chiu travelled to Yemen through Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Hong Kong.
MSF is an international humanitarian organisation that provides medical assistance to people affected by disease, war and natural disasters.
Some people choose to work in medicine for money or status. Chiu, like many other MSF field workers, wants to help people in places hit by disasters and wars.
Learning to adapt
Founded in 1971 in France, MSF has given aid in over 70 nations and employed over 52,000 staff as of last year.
Chiu is the president of MSF Hong Kong. He went on his first mission with the organisation in 2013, when he was in his thirties. Over the past 12 years, he has worked in Pakistan, Liberia, Yemen, Bangladesh and Gaza.
In Yemen, Chiu had to follow strict rules meant to minimise the risk of danger from air strikes.
He also supervised a team of local staff who primarily spoke Arabic.
“I had to manage nearly 100 nursing staff. We needed translators. We have different cultures. We have different habits. We have different beliefs,” he recalled. “So it takes time for us to understand each other before I give them commands.”
Compassion amid challenges
Another MSF worker from Hong Kong, Krystal So Hin-pui, is a registered nurse and midwife. She has served in various locations around the world.
So, who is in her thirties, sees her job as a special chance to mix her medical skills with her desire to help women. During her work, she focused on maternal health, family planning and sexual and reproductive health.
So noted that the MSF team often faced difficult situations. Still, she believed it was important to be there for people who needed help. “They don’t have any resources ... They are suffering,” she said.
More awareness of humanitarian efforts
Each year on July 7, MSF honours its aid workers and urges the public to support these frontline heroes.
This year, MSF Hong Kong put together an event titled “Lifesaving Without Pause”.
There was a panel discussion where Chiu, So and another MSF worker talked about their experiences.
There was also an exhibition with pictures, testimonies and personal stories from MSF workers.
“I was really, really happy when I see people ... came to the exhibitions,” Chiu noted. “[If] they ask questions, [it] means they want to know more. They pay attention. They want to show their concern.”
Even if you cannot go to other countries to provide aid, Chiu and So emphasised that anyone could do their part by staying informed about current events.
“Everything can start from paying attention. We have the internet, so it’s easy for us to get information now,” Chiu said. “Understand what’s happening in the world.”
“Society together can have more awareness ... [and] spread the message together,” So added.
When more people are educated about these issues, they can unite to influence authorities and drive change.
