Action Taken by China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service to Support Wuhan Nursing Homes

When all Chinese people were celebrating the Spring Festival at the beginning of 2020, the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic (COVID-19) raged all over the country. Great importance was attached by the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council. General Secretary Xi Jinping chaired the Standing Committee meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to specially focus on the prevention and control of COVID-19 and made important instructions. The whole country has launched a defense war to fight against the epidemic and save people's lives.

In order to thoroughly studied and carried out the important instructions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on prevention and control of COVID-19 and fully implemented the decision and deployment of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council, as well as the work requests of the Party Organization of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, CASWSS has made rapid action and positive response to set up a leading group for epidemic prevention and formulate epidemic prevention plan according to its own characteristics and current situation. CASWSS Party Branch and administrative leaders took firm measures and make decisive actions to positively engage in the work of epidemic prevention and control, making contributions to win the fight against COVID-19.

First, take rapid response and make active mobilization. CASWSS Party Branch gave full play to the role of core leadership and battle fort, sent timely calling to all party members and staff, requesting party members to take epidemic prevention and control as the most important work at present and enhance sense of urgency and responsibility, give full play to the leading role, take the lead in learning the knowledge of epidemic prevention and control, take scientific measures to prevent and control the disease, spread positive messages and take active participation in the fight against the epidemic. Meanwhile, party cadres took lead in making individual donations, all staff responded positively to support the epidemic prevention and control work of the nursing homes in Wuhan with practical actions.  

Second, make quick deployment and donate materials for epidemic prevention. On January 29, when the Ministry of Civil Affairs made a rapid deployment of epidemic prevention work, in spite of illness, President Feng Xiaoli stuck to lead the work and take quick action. On January 30, she held an on-line Presidents' meeting and made the decision to allocate 300 thousand yuan from CASWSS’s own fund to purchase urgently-needed materials for epidemic prevention to help nursing homes in Wuhan. After contacting Wuhan Civil Affairs Bureau and relevant social organizations to collect the needs of Wuhan nursing homes, CASWSS urgently purchased 4000 barrels of medical alcohol, 1000 pairs of goggles, 1000 pieces of protective clothing and 1000 sets of 84 disinfectant and donated those materials to nursing homes in Wuhan through Wuhan Civil Affairs Bureau and Wuhan Charity Federation. In addition, CASWSS also donated 10 Ultraviolet Disinfection Lamps to Social Welfare Institute of Wuhan Jianghan District, which is in the hardest-hit area of Wuhan. The donation has timely helped solved the nursing homes’ problem of lack of prevention materials, showing the full efforts of CASWSS to support Wuhan to fight against COVID-19.

Third, make timely sympathy and concerted efforts. On January 31, CASWSS WeChat account issued The Letter of Thanks from China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service to All Members, which pays high respect and heartfelt thanks to the managers and staff of all CASWSS members, who are working hard in the frontline Wuhan, who went to the stricken area to offer help with selfless dedication and fearlessness, and those insisting on working on their own position to protect the safety of the elderly. Besides, CASWSS encouraged all members and branches to take their own advantages and offer support to Wuhan in various ways to win the battle against COVID-19 to make unremitting efforts to protect the safety of elders, so as to play an active role in assisting the Party and the government on epidemic prevention and control.

Fourth, adhere to the guidance of public opinion to help the epidemic prevention work. Through the official Website, Magazine Welfare China, WeChat account and various of publicity platforms, CASWSS forwarded important documents on epidemic prevention and control issued by the Central Committee of the CPC, the State Council and the Ministry of Civil Affairs and reported relevant authoritative news. CASWSS also shared the advanced experience and moving stories of nursing homes in fighting against the disease, which provided strong public opinion support for the Party and the government to lead the people to resolutely win the battle of epidemic prevention and control. 

 picture taken at the site where medical alcohol, urgently-needed material donated by CASWSS is distributed 

picture taken at the site where Ultraviolet Disinfection Lamps and goggles, urgently-needed material donated by CASWSS are distributed 

picture taken at the site where protective clothing, urgently-needed material donated by CASWSS is distributed