Hong Kong customs arrests 2 over medical group’s abrupt closure

Hong Kong customs has arrested a company director and a secretary of a medical group whose abrupt closure last week prompted hundreds of complaints from parents who had prepaid for their children’s vaccinations, the Post has learned.

A source close to the investigation said on Wednesday that a male director and female secretary of Alliance Medical Group were detained in connection with the sudden shutdown of its children’s vaccination clinics.

The medical group had provided services such as prepaid vaccination packages at its two clinics in Tsim Sha Tsui and Sha Tin. However, the group never officially announced its closure, and its Facebook and Instagram accounts were found to have disappeared on April 30.

The closure left at least 2,000 parents in limbo, as they had paid thousands to tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars in advance for their children’s vaccination.

The highest individual claim related to the closure amounted to HK$23,550 (US$3,038), while the average amount involved in each case was HK$5,720, the Consumer Council said.

The number of patients’ complaints, including from parents who paid in advance for their children’s vaccination packages, lodged with authorities and the Consumer Council has reached more than 2,000 so far.