Popular Hong Kong Clinic Chain In Hot Water Amid Suspected Closure

Hundreds of customers, including young parents, have taken to online platforms to complain about a popular clinic chain in Hong Kong suspected to have abruptly closed down earlier this week.

Parents who had paid thousands of Hong Kong dollars in advance for their children’s vaccination at clinics under Alliance Medical Group scrambled to arrange jabs elsewhere, while the consumer watchdog on Thursday expressed “deep concern” and urged the chain to clarify its operational status.

The group, which had two clinics in Tsim Sha Tsui and Sha Tin, had not officially announced its closure, but its accounts on Facebook and Instagram were no longer available as of Thursday.

A WhatsApp screenshot image circulating online showed that a part-time worker was informed by the clinic group that it would cease operations from May 1.

Phone calls to the group on Thursday were transferred to a voice message, which said it was closed on Sundays and public holidays. Thursday marked the Labour Day public holiday in Hong Kong.

The Post also visited its Tsim Sha Tsui outlet, which was closed, but furniture and other items remained.

The clinic chain appeared to have targeted parents through setting up WhatsApp groups for childcare inquiries for its customers, and publishing articles related to children’s health on its website.

Mrs Sin, a mother to a six-month-old baby girl, was among hundreds of people who formed a victims group.

She first learned on Wednesday from a friend that the clinic chain might have closed down as the firm’s social media pages were inaccessible. She also said a representative from the chain, who was usually responsive in the official WhatsApp group, did not reply to customers’ inquiries about rumours of its closing down.

“It was really outrageous of them,” said the mother, who only offered her surname. “I just want my money back, or please arrange vaccinations for us.”

She paid HK$5,400 (US$696) on Tuesday in advance for a package of meningococcal vaccines for her daughter, who was scheduled to have an appointment for the jab on Friday.

In October, she also spent more than HK$4,000 on a plan of six doses of vaccines for young children, and there was still one dose, scheduled for when her child turns 18 months old, left unused.

Sin said the group’s large booth at a baby products fair in August last year caught her eye, and she decided to get her daughter’s vaccination there due to cheaper jabs and the proximity of the Tsim Sha Tsui clinic to her Yau Ma Tei home.

The mother said she had already lodged reports on Wednesday to the Customs and Excise Department, police and the Consumer Council. She also asked the bank to hold her credit card transaction made with the clinic on Tuesday.

The consumer watchdog has expressed “deep concern” over the suspected closure and says it is monitoring the incident. Photo: Nora Tam

Gordon Cheung, whose daughter is now four months old, also spent around HK$4,000 with the group in February on a children’s vaccination scheme, in which just two of the seven doses of vaccine had been used.

His daughter was originally scheduled to receive her vaccination on Saturday.

“I’m not optimistic about the money. As a parent, I have to first handle where my daughter can get her vaccine,” he said.

As of Thursday evening, there were more than 650 members in a victims’ group formed on Facebook, and close to 400 in a similar group on WhatsApp.

Similar complaint posts could also be found on the Chinese social media platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu.

Cheung said there were already several victims’ groups formed on social media.

A part-time staff member at the clinic, who spoke anonymously, said she had not received her salary for April yet.

She said she and other workers planned to visit the Labour Department next week to follow up on the matter.

The consumer watchdog, which had expressed “deep concern” over the suspected closure, said it was closely monitoring the incident.

It urged the clinic group to clarify as soon as possible whether it was closing down its business and propose follow-up arrangements to alleviate customer concerns.

The Labour Department said employees who had unpaid wages or queries on their rights could approach its offices for help.

The Post has contacted police for comment.