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Earthquake aftermath: growth and strength

Dr Gao: “It takes different professions to rebuild Sichuan. Not on just one discipline.”

In June 2019, a magnitude six earthquake shook Yibin City in Sichuan Province. Dr Gao Qiang, a rehabilitation sciences professor and chief physiotherapist at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, rushed to the disaster zone the next day. Working with a team of nurses and counsellors, he devised rehabilitation plans within 48 hours for more than a hundred injured people.

Dr Gao Qiang is among the first batch of PhD graduates from the Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction. (Photo provided by interviewee)

“The reaction was much quicker than with the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008. I have grown a lot over the past ten years,” says Dr Gao. When the Wenchuan Earthquake happened, he was an on-the-job postgraduate student working in the Rehabilitation Sciences Department of the West China Hospital. The disaster devastated Sichuan, yet the medical workers working in its aftermath did not have up-to-date knowledge of rehabilitation and lacked practical experience in post-earthquake reconstruction. This made Dr Gao eager to pursue further studies in these areas.

After the Wenchuan Earthquake, Sichuan University and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University joined hands to set up The Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction – the first of its kind in China – with an approved donation of RMB200 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club. Dr Gao applied to do a PhD at the institute after hearing the news. He was among the first batch of doctoral students in the programme when it was launched in September 2011. “It takes different professions to rebuild Sichuan. Not on just one discipline,” says Dr Gao. “Everyone was looking to the universities to generate the relevant teaching and research. We need the knowledge to prepare for future disasters.”

Dr Gao calls his PhD experience in Hong Kong “eye-opening”. Apart from furthering his knowledge of rehabilitation sciences, he gained a personal understanding of the role The Hong Kong Jockey Club plays in society. “I used to think the Club was all about horse racing,” Dr Gao says. “But during my time in Hong Kong, I learned that the Club’s Charities Trust, driven by a strong sense of social responsibility, has been making immense charitable contributions towards social development.” After completing his PhD, he returned to work at the West China Hospital, providing physical therapy to patients, as well as teaching in Sichuan University’s Rehabilitation Sciences Department.

After completing his PhD, Dr Gao Qiang returned to work at the West China Hospital, providing physical therapy to patients, as well as teaching rehabilitation sciences in university. (Photo provided by interviewee)
Dr Gao Qiang is among the first batch of PhD graduates from the Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction. (Photo provided by interviewee)
After completing his PhD, Dr Gao Qiang returned to work at the West China Hospital, providing physical therapy to patients, as well as teaching rehabilitation sciences in university. (Photo provided by interviewee) In the aftermath of the Wenchuan Earthquake, The Hong Kong Jockey Club offered an emergency relief donation of HK$30 million, later donating a further HK$1 billion to support a series of reconstruction projects, one of which is the Sichuan HKJC Olympic School. (Photo provided by Sichuan HKJC Olympic School)

“The institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction has nurtured many professionals over the years. It’s been sowing seeds in the field of disaster management.”

Since its launch, The Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction has trained hundreds of professionals in various fields*, including architecture, rehabilitation, disaster nursing and counselling. “The Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction has nurtured many professionals over the years. It’s been sowing seeds in the field of disaster management,” says Dr Gao. “Looking back, I am very grateful for everything. None of it would have been possible without the Club’s funding and the vision of the two universities. Everyone devoted their time and energy and embraced innovation.”

*Information updated to June 2022

In the aftermath of the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008, The Hong Kong Jockey Club offered an emergency relief donation of HK$30 million immediately after the earthquake, later donating a further HK$1 billion to support a series of reconstruction projects.

Did you know?

The Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008 killed 69,227 and left more than 370,000 injured. People from all over the world took part in the rescue efforts and post-earthquake reconstruction. The Hong Kong Jockey Club offered an emergency relief donation of HK$30 million immediately after the earthquake, later approving a HK$1 billion donation to support a series of reconstruction projects. This included the Mianyang 3rd City Hospital HKJC Medical Complex, Mianyang Youxian Zhongxing HKJC Junior Middle School, Deyang HKJC No.5 Middle School, Ya’an HKJC Vocational College, Sichuan HKJC Olympic School, Sichuan Provincial 8-1 Rehabilitation Centre, and the Sichuan University – Hong Kong Polytechnic University Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction HKJC Building and HKJC Research Centre on Disaster Management.

The Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction is the first of its kind in China, specialising in disaster preparedness, disaster risk reduction and disaster reconstruction. In addition to sponsoring the construction of its campus, laboratories and facilities, the Club provided financial support for the first phase of training courses. Covering an area of more than 200,000 square feet, the Institute is located at Sichuan University in Chengdu’s Jiang’an District. It was completed in 2013.

The aftermath of the Wenchuan Earthquake.
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