As the coronavirus (COVID-19) takes its toll worldwide, our NUS MBA students choose solidarity over antagonism. They teamed up with the Executive MBA Chinese programme students to lend support to healthcare professionals at the frontline in Wuhan, China. The EMBA Chinese Support-Wuhan Taskforce has finished its fundraising, and delivery of medical supplies is in progress.
In fighting the virus, we are together
The NUS MBA students are rooting for healthcare professionals in Wuhan. From left: Fan Zhang, Gloria Guo, Andy Chen, Marcel Bandur, Augusta Wang, Kurt Chang, Kevin Xing, Lily Li, and Daniel Zhou
Marcel Bandur, President of the Diversity and Inclusion Club at NUS Business School, said, “We read about what our counterparts at the NUS EMBA Chinese programme have done for the frontline hospitals in Wuhan. That encouraged us to do our part to help. Also, some of our schoolmates’ families were affected by the situation as they come from China’s Hubei province, so they are eager to lend their help to the people there.”
The MBA students have set up a fundraising campaign at Give.asia, which aims to raise $20,000 for medical supplies to Wuhan. Besides promoting correct information about the virus, the MBA students also offered to tap on their network in Wuhan to help with the delivery.
Marcel said, “Some of our family and friends who are in Wuhan can help to provide information about the frontline situation, so that we can update the EMBA Chinese team on which group or hospitals need the most help. We are also asking any local volunteers to help distribute supplies.. We have been trying to find additional suppliers of protective equipment such as N95 masks, but it has been very difficult so far.”
We should also not forget to extend our help to others and share our resources with them when needed
MBA student Lily Li Kejia, President of the Healthcare Club, was a nurse for many years before embarking on her MBA. During the SARS period in 2003, she was one of the healthcare professionals working in the frontlinen the Children’s Intensive Care Unit at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Lily said that from information gathered so far, the frontline hospitals are in dire need of personal protective equipment such as N95 masks, protective gowns and goggles, but these items are in high demand and very difficult to acquire. “Besides these equipment, I feel that everyone needs encouragement and comfort to know that we are in this together and we will prevail in the end,” said Lily.
Misinformation is also something to grapple with. Lily said, “Not everyone who has been infected with nCoV will die or become severely disabled. As the media shows an increasing number of infected people every day, it is normal for us to feel scared. Subconsciously, we may even amplify the negative impact in our mind. We need to follow precautions advised by the Ministry of Health and do our part to prevent the spread of potential infections. But we also need to live our life as normally as possible. We should also not forget to extend our help to others and share our resources with them when needed.”
If you would like to support their fundraising campaign, please go to Give.asia.