Working with the Vietnamese Boat People

Hei Ling Chau Refugee Camp. View from the surgery

During the 1980's the plight of the Vietnamese "Boat people" was widely publicised as the thousands of people from Vietnam fled the political changes of their country and took to leaky boats and ended up in Hong Kong, a place barely capable of dealing with the invasion of desperate humanity. Harold Howard, Dentist and Club member, took a keen interest and wanted to help. In 1986, encouraged by the current President, Ron Ebbett, he approached Rosalind Benford, Rotary Volunteer Co-ordinator for RI's 3H (Health, Hunger and Humanity) program. He was accepted as a volunteer, and in 1987, he and wife Jane, set out for Hong Kong.

He and Jane were accommodated in the Salisbury YMCA Hotel and the Volunteer Dentist organisation based in the Kai Tak camp. The volunteer scheme worked by rotating volunteer dentists every 4 weeks. Each day they would set out for one of the four camps around Hong Kong. During the course of the week Harold would visit each of the 4 camps. His schedule went as follows (with variations)

• Monday.        Travel by boat to the Hei Ling Chau Camp

• Tuesday.       Taken by car to Kai Tak. From there to Argyle, then back for further work at Kai Tak

• Wednesday.  Travel by boat to the Chi Ma Wan camp.

• Thursday.      Work at Kai Tak on patients brought in from Tan Man camp and more patients at Kai Tak

• Friday           Patients would be brought in from Argyle to Kai Tak.

Tran Van Thanh.

Harold shows him where Taradale is on the Atlas he gave him.

"There are some 8,000 - 10,000 refugees distributed around the various open and closed camps in Hong Kong, and although some of these people are placed each year in new countries in the Western world, they are immediately replaced by more refugees arriving from Vietnam. On reading very recent news reports it would appear Hong Kong could expect a big increase of refugees. These are Vietnamese refugees who have been resettled in mainland China and who believe they can better their quality of life in the west.

Harold's surgery at the Kai Tak Camp

I quote from the staff reporter of a Hong Kong newspaper, " A HUMAN wave of more than 50,000 Vietnamese refugees from China is poised to hit Hong Kong, the director of the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees in Beijing warned yesterday." For the foreseeable future there will be refugees in Hong Kong and their numbers will no doubt increase. I therefore see an increased need for dental services. The ageing dental equipment (especially in Kai Tak camp) which requires more frequent maintenance and additions I believe should be replaced by new or near new equipment. Roger Greene is the dental surgeon from the Prince Edward dental school in Hong Kong, and his frequent attention and maintenance of this equipment is understated and underestimated. It is given gratis and in his spare time. Without him the visiting volunteer dentists would not be able to carry out their duties as well as they would wish. "

The monthly birthday party at Kai Tok

Jane also involved herself in the welfare of the refugees, particularly the children. In the same report, he wrote-

"Jane (my wife) was able to help in the child care centre at Kai Tak, where this service has some 100 preschool children on the books. I understand these children are cared for from about 7.30 am till 5.00pm every working day - in most cases both parents being out at work during the day. One person extra here to help was well accepted.

Jane with Hilda, Harold's assistant.

Jane and Harold

depart the Chi Ma Wan Camp

Jane also came out to the Chi Ma Wan closed centre, to the "waiting room area" where quite a collection of people would gather from the camp. Mrs Esther Lacey  (Jane's predecessor) bought a jig saw puzzle as did Jane for these people to try their hand at building. It was also evident these people were very willing to try out their knowledge and usage of the English Language.

Although Jane came only once to Hei Ling Chau closed camp there was not the same opportunity to do what she did at Chi Ma Wan."

By now it was very apparent to Harold that the dental equipment was in need of upgrading. Much of it was of World War II vintage, and considering the work ahead there was an urgent need to bring in new equipment. Harold continues-

"During our 4 weeks in Hong Kong it was good to read a news report in the South China Morning Post 25.5.87. "Refugees get better life in Camps". In Hei Ling Chau for example Refugees were earning up to H.K.$60.00 day in small industries such as knitting. Other forms of Vocational training are also being started. I was pleased to hear the Hong Kong Rotary Clubs' approval of a grant of U.K.$23,310 for Dental Equipment. "

Dr Robert Lacey, President of the Rotary Club of Binghamton, NY, raised with Harold the possibility of using Rotary International as a means of upgrading the dental equipment in the surgeries.

Dr Bob Lacey examines patient at the Argyll Camp. The only light available is from the window. An interpreter stands by if needed.

"At this point I will report on discussions Bob Lacey, my predecessor, and I had one week in, of my 4 week term of volunteer dental duty. We both came to the conclusion that if we could enlist the interest of all the Rotary Clubs whose respective dentist members who had served in Hong Kong to contribute an amount of about U.S. $500.00 we would go a long way towards funding the re-equipping of the surgeries in Hong Kong.

Now that my Rotary Club banner is hanging in the surgery (clinic) at Kai Tak there are some 26 Rotary club banners, also there are some 50 dentists visiting cards under the glass topped desk in the clinic at Kai Tak. This is an indicator of the number of clubs to which we can make contact."

The Taradale Rotary Club banner hangs just right of centre

Rewi Alley, aged 89. Photo taken by Harold Howard on his visit to him, 1st June 1989.

The Matching Grant Project to Upgrade Dental Equipment

Back in New Zealand, Harold set about enlisting the support of the Taradale Rotary Club in the project. Bob Lacey took the role of costing the equipment and making the request to the Rotary Foundation. The original estimate was for a project requiring $US9600 in funding. The sponsoring clubs were to be Binghamton and Taradale. Between them, they were to put up $US1000. A successful matching grant request would mean the Rotary Foundation would fund $US4800. This left $US3800 to be raised from other Rotary Clubs.

For a matching grant, they would need a local Club to take charge. Harold writes

"Dr Jorgen Theilade the Rotarian dentist member of Hong Kong Rotary Club and the President of the Hong Kong Rotary Club assured me their Rotary Club would be behind any moves in the direction of new dental equipment and would sponsor such a project.

This whole thought has the makings of being a very good project in the International field which could involve sponsors from Bob Lacey's predecessor's club in Denmark, Bob Lacey's club in Binghamton, the Hong Kong Rotary Club, and my Taradale Rotary Club in New Zealand. If this project also qualified for a special grant subsidy then a very worthwhile fund could be used to re-equip these Hong Kong refugee Dental Clinics."

The drive for funds is taken up by Bob Lacey in his report to Rotary Foundation and potential sponsors

"Our prime disappointment was the complete absence of functioning sterilization equipment in any of the clinics. Although boiler sterilizers were present, we considered these ineffective, as was the cold sterilization methods, to properly protect our patients and staff. We also found many instances which needed correcting:

1.  At one clinic, if you raised the dental chair, a short circuit occurred and all the equipment became non-functional. Further, it took several minutes to repair and during this time, the dentist could not accomplish any dental treatment.

2.  To stand for several hours at a dental chair is difficult and tiring for dentists. Comfortable seating for the dentist was not available nor possible with the type of equipment present.

3.  The flooring was torn or missing in the main clinic, making proper clinic cleanliness impossible.

4.  The dental operating lights were inadequate and antiquated. Indeed, services were performed at one clinic which had no operating light and in front of a window.

5.  Much of the treatment of Refugees was concerned with gum problems caused by calculus (tartar) in huge amounts. This calculus can be most effectively and quickly removed by rather inexpensive ultrasonic equipment which was not available.

6.  There are many other kinds of equipment needed to improve the quantity and quality of service rendered by these Volunteer dentists.

With the help and encouragement of Dr. Harold Howard (Taradale, New Zealand) and Dr. Jorgen Hojerslev (Vedbaek, Denmark), who were my predecessor and successor, I obtained the names of the dentists who proceeded us at the Hong Kong Clinics.

These were supplied by Rotary International Volunteer Coordinator, Roz Benford. The Rotary Club of Hong Kong helped in coordinating the renovation effort. Rotarian Dr. Jorgen Theilade (Professor at the Prince Philip Dental School in Hong Kong) was appointed by them as liaison. He recruited a fine young non-Rotarian dentist from the dental school. Dr. Roger Green, to do the actual planning, buying and installing of the projected needed equipment. A list was made and prices determined of the minimum needed equipment.

The price: $US9,600.00.

Letters soliciting contributions were written to 36 dentists, who previously volunteered for duty at the Hong Kong Dental Clinics. The Presidents of their respective Clubs, asking for a donation to the project in their member's honour, were also written. Three months later, in December of 1987, many of these dentists and their Clubs had contributed. In January, I received a response from the "Special Grants" Coordinator, Dianne Porter, of the Rotary foundation, saying that if $4,800.00 could be raised, the Foundation would add $4,800.00 more. However, we had only $4,200.00 and the prospects seemed rather gloomy. So, another letter went out to the same people for contributions and stating the progress to that date. Shortly thereafter, I heard from Dr. George Ledger, former Volunteer from Taunton, Somerset, England saying that he and his Club were running a "Shop" to benefit this project. Happily, on March 10, the Taunton Rotary Club sent a check for 1250 pounds sterling which put us way past the needed amount for the challenge "Special Grant" and our goal of $US9,600.00.

Further response has brought us to a total (4 May 1988) of $US12,912.93 which has been forwarded to Dr. Greene in Hong Kong. Indeed, I hear that many pieces of new equipment are already in place. I think another exciting aspect of this project has been that 17 Clubs and individuals responded with contributions. This should help rest the thought that Rotarians are not merely a bunch of men and women who get together to eat a meal once a week. All these Clubs and individuals have been written letters of thanks, in the name of Rotary and the Refugees who will benefit most from their contributions.

Some kind of an award will be made at the Philadelphia Rotary International Convention.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HONG KONG DENTAL CLINICS

CLUBS:

400.00

500.00

500.00

300.00

400.00

100.00

100.00

200.00

200.00

1,350.00

INDIVIDUALS:

200.00

1,000.00

500.00

100.00

700.00

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL:

Harold return with Jane twice more in 1989 and 1991 to do 4 week tours of duty in the refugee camps. One of the great pleasures was to see the end result of the matching grant project with the new equipment installed and already well used. Things however had changed. He wrote some notes in relation to his experiences.

"Concerning the refugee problem, times have changed since we were here in May-June 1987. Then only 8000-10,000 refugees from Vietnam existed. Today there are over 50,000.

Since June 1988 the government of Hong Kong has changed its policy about the "boat people" as all who arrive today would appear not to be political refugees but more economic. 8000 are expected in May 1989, 8000 in June, and 10,000 in July. All refugees are now treated as illegal immigrants.

During 1987 we visited the Dental Clinics in the camps once every week in the 4 week "stint". But today we visit all camps about twice in four weeks. Many new camps have sprung up. In July 1989, Shek Kong was built as a brand new camp in the New Territories and it is soon expected to reach its limit of 7000 souls.. All inmates are living under canvas, and since it is a "closed camp", it is surrounded by a high fence topped with barbed-wire."

In 1990 the Club honoured Harold for his contribution to humanity with the Paul Harris medal