Story Details - Alumni - Harvard Business School

06 Feb 2020

HBS Alumni Join Forces on Virus Outbreak in China

Groups are launching efforts to provide supplies, funds to support coronavirus relief efforts

Re: Huaweilang Dai (MBA 2018); Peter Chen (MBA 2018); Carmen Li (MBA 2016); Ray Yang (MBA 2003); Mei Zhang (MBA 1996); Andy Lin (MBA 2003)

Topics: Health-Health Pandemics Health-Health Care and Treatment Organizations-Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact Education-Financial Aid Philanthropy-Giving Impact

Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

In response to the widening coronavirus outbreak in China and globally, HBS alumni are launching efforts intent on supporting the crisis relief efforts to Wuhan and other parts of China. One alumni group, calling itself the Wuhan Task Force, aims to rapidly provide much-needed medical protection items to hospital and response personnel, while another seeks to raise funds from HBS alumni to support the families of victims of the virus.

The Wuhan Task Force, aims to quickly source and distribute medical protection items, including surgical masks, disposable latex gloves, and rapid detection kits. Clement Dai (MBA 2018), along with Peter Zhe Chen (MBA 2018), Carmen Li (MBA 2016), Nyx (Xiyujin) He (HLS 2017), and Kylie Zhang (AB 2018), cofounded the group. The Task Force has connected with Harvard Center Shanghai, HBS alumni clubs in Beijing and Shanghai, and an alumnus in Wuhan.

As of February 6, the Task Force—which runs a donor-supplier marketplace—has sourced and connected donors with medical suppliers from more than seven countries and three continents. Supplies include 35,700 medical coveralls, 208,000 medical-use protective masks, and 2,500,000 surgical masks.

“Local hospitals in Wuhan and other parts of the country are facing a severe shortage of medical supplies,” says Dai. “This puts medical professionals and people at severe risk.”

The Wuhan Task Force is also coordinating with the International Committee of the Red Cross, City of Wuhan, central government, and other local and multilateral organizations on logistics—coordinating purchase, delivery, and customs—in their effort to contain the spread of the virus.

At the same time, a group led by Ray Yang (MBA 2003), Mei Zhang (MBA 1996), and Andy Lin (MBA 2003) have used the social media platform WeChat to promote the Dr. Li Wenliang HBS Alumni Memorial Fund, named after the whistleblower who first identified the Wuhan virus and subsequently died.

According to Zhang, the fund was set up to be transparent, direct, and efficient, with the funds to be administered to the families of three medical personnel, like Dr. Wenliang, who have been significantly harmed or have died from the outbreak and whose personal stories will be a positive inspiration to a wider community of potential donors or supporters. The funds raised will be restricted to provide for each victim’s children’s education, to be distribute initially over the next three years. In addition, the group is also laying out plans for the children’s long-term success, including a commitment from donors to assist with other forms of guidance, mentorship, internships, and other supports “so they can become successful, useful citizens like their parents,” Zhang said.

A Chinese-language website went live on February 7 and overnight raised more than $150,000. “There was such an immediate outpouring of grief and support among alumni on WeChat,” Zhang said, noting that Dr. Wenliang left behind a 5-year-old and a wife who is five months pregnant. “The alumni want to help his family and to help other doctors who have sacrificed.” An English-language version of the site is now online.

How to Help

Send email to the Wuhan Task Force or contact the alumni mentioned above.
Learn more about the Dr. Li Wenliang HBS Alumni Memorial Fund on its website or contact the alumni mentioned above.