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Pharmacist William notes, “Community pharmacies are a vital component of primary healthcare. Beyond dispensing medication, community pharmacists provide personalised consultations and health advice and empower the public to manage health conditions.”
The hands of loved ones, a wet towel, perhaps identity documents—or nothing at all.
When escaping a fire, there are only seconds to grab what matters most and medication rarely makes that list. Yet for many evacuees, especially those managing chronic conditions, the realisation hits hard in the aftermath—without their prescriptions, distress amplifies tragedy.
Following the outbreak of the Wang Fuk Court fire, pharmacists William Yuen and Terry Lee, together with pharmacists from eight community pharmacies in Jockey Club
PHARM+ Community Medication Service Network (PHARM+), mobilised overnight to provide onsite support across 11 temporary shelters in Tai Po. Working in close coordination with the Primary Healthcare Commission, their teams deployed to medical stations, transforming these spaces into lifelines for the medication dependent.
The challenge was immediate and complex. “Beyond their emotional needs, the sheer suddenness of the incident created urgent medical and medication needs,” William recalls from his attendance at the temporary shelters. Apart from updates about the fire and loved ones, many residents’ most pressing anxiety centred on one fear—running out of medication. “In those early moments, residents were desperate to get their hands on medications and did not have the mental or emotional space to engage with other support services,” Terry adds.
Not only did pharmacists on site have to attend to evacuees who are suffering physically and emotionally from the fire—with symptoms such as sleeplessness, shortness of breath, high blood pressure and joint pain—an equally important task for them was to tend to those who suffer from chronic illness.
“Patients with chronic illness, particularly the elderly, had fled home without their medications—everything was left behind in their flats. In those first critical hours, their most anguished concern was simply having access to the medicines they desperately needed,” William explains.
The challenge was compounded by common reality—many elderly residents could not fully recall their medication regimens. Here, technology and resourcefulness proved essential. Harnessing the Electronic Health Record Sharing System (eHRSS), the PHARM+ team was authorised to access patients’ medication and health records. “This gave us a clear, comprehensive view of their pharmaceutical needs, allowing us to provide accurate support even when patients themselves were uncertain,” William says.
For some residents, symptoms emerged gradually in the weeks following the fire—insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, headaches, dizziness and heart palpitations, and they are in need of ongoing support. “Community pharmacies are a vital component of primary healthcare. Beyond dispensing medication, community pharmacists provide personalised consultations and health advice and empower patients to manage chronic conditions,” William notes. They also supply household medicine kits and monitoring devices for blood pressure and blood sugar, while connecting residents to district health centres, elderly centres, and other community resources.
The response revealed critical gaps in disaster response at the community level, while showcasing the essential role of community pharmacies. For vulnerable residents facing displacement, medication access is not a secondary concern—it is as essential as shelter itself.
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(Bottom) Community pharmacist Terry Lee goes beyond dispensing medication by offering personalised health consultations and support to the public.
Did you know?
Launched in 2024, the Jockey Club PHARM+ Community Medication Service Network thrives to strengthening primary healthcare services at the community level and serving as the first point of contact for medication support. We set up community pharmacies, operated by non-governmental organisations, in multiple districts and provide public health support services and education, expected to benefit over 112,000 people in the community.
Information updated to December 2025
JC PROJECT LIFT Ambassador Leung Fuk-ming said, “They’re building from the ground up. I hope to give them a sense of safety.”