APSAA 亞太永續行動獎(Asia-Pacific Sustainability Action Awards )-Sustainability Action Award SDG3:Silver
TAIPEI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL 臺北醫學大學附設醫院
Taiwan Medical Mission- An over-all healthcare enhancement throughout public health, critical care, and teaching in the Kingdom of Eswatini executed by Taipei Medical University Hospital
The Kingdom of Eswatini, a landlocked nation located in southern Africa, has been the only diplomatic country in Africa with Taiwan since 1968 and remained a good interaction ever since.
The mutual medical cooperation between Taiwan and Eswatini has been started since 2007 with a long-term on-site medical service consisting of medical specialists and nursing staff assigned by the government of Taiwan. In 2009, Taipei Medical University took over the project and authorized Taipei Medical University Hospital (TMUH)as the implementer. The medical interaction and cooperation provided by TMUH with Eswatini has achieved the first decade in 2019. Currently, we have treated 130,000 OPD patients, received 3,060 surgical patients, trained 11,416 medical professionals, performed 2,152 public health screenings, and trained 167 public health trainees. TMUH has been the top medical team among the nation according to the cumulative data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the numbers of expatriate medical practitioners and the amounts of medical services provided.
In addition, Eswatini government has repeatedly mentioned the high medical standard of Taiwan on international occasions. Medical diplomacy seems to be one of the important contributions of the strong relation between Taiwan and Eswatini.
The COVID-19 epidemic broke out at the end of 2019 and affected all around the world. As of August 2021, more than 200 million people have been infected and more than 4.5 million people have died. Eswatini is located in the African continent where the epidemic is severe. Based on the spirit of diplomacy, TMUH has dispatched ‘Taiwan We Go Team’ and ‘Advanced Taiwan We Go Team’ in 2020 and 2021, providing comprehensive support for medical cooperation and experience sharing on infection control, public health, clinical care, and provision of prevention materials. Moreover, the newly graduated PGY were trained as members of “Education, Find, Test, Treat, Isolation, Trace Project”, practically doing the COVID-19 testing for patients in the local communities and strengthening the epidemic prevention ability at the same time. “Taiwan We Go Team” held fast to the first line of epidemic prevention in Eswatini. They saved lives, enhanced the prevention capabilities, and let the world see the medical strength of Taiwan, implementing the goal “Health for all” of WHO and the “Leaving no one behind” of Sustainable Development Goal.
The Constitution of World Health Organization states, “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights.” TMUH believes that “Healthcare has no boundaries” and has put thorough efforts in providing the most down-to-earth medical service, professional medical training, public health promotions, and the medical specialists to fight against COVID-19 with our friend in Africa, the locals in Eswatini. With the professional medical team from TMUH, we are motivated to become the model of international medical cooperation. Furthermore, with the comprehensive promotions in community health in Eswatini, we look forward to further strengthening the diplomatic relationship between two nations.
The mutual medical cooperation between Taiwan and Eswatini has been started since 2007 with a long-term on-site medical service consisting of medical specialists and nursing staff assigned by the government of Taiwan. In 2009, Taipei Medical University took over the project and authorized Taipei Medical University Hospital (TMUH)as the implementer. The medical interaction and cooperation provided by TMUH with Eswatini has achieved the first decade in 2019. Currently, we have treated 130,000 OPD patients, received 3,060 surgical patients, trained 11,416 medical professionals, performed 2,152 public health screenings, and trained 167 public health trainees. TMUH has been the top medical team among the nation according to the cumulative data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the numbers of expatriate medical practitioners and the amounts of medical services provided.
In addition, Eswatini government has repeatedly mentioned the high medical standard of Taiwan on international occasions. Medical diplomacy seems to be one of the important contributions of the strong relation between Taiwan and Eswatini.
The COVID-19 epidemic broke out at the end of 2019 and affected all around the world. As of August 2021, more than 200 million people have been infected and more than 4.5 million people have died. Eswatini is located in the African continent where the epidemic is severe. Based on the spirit of diplomacy, TMUH has dispatched ‘Taiwan We Go Team’ and ‘Advanced Taiwan We Go Team’ in 2020 and 2021, providing comprehensive support for medical cooperation and experience sharing on infection control, public health, clinical care, and provision of prevention materials. Moreover, the newly graduated PGY were trained as members of “Education, Find, Test, Treat, Isolation, Trace Project”, practically doing the COVID-19 testing for patients in the local communities and strengthening the epidemic prevention ability at the same time. “Taiwan We Go Team” held fast to the first line of epidemic prevention in Eswatini. They saved lives, enhanced the prevention capabilities, and let the world see the medical strength of Taiwan, implementing the goal “Health for all” of WHO and the “Leaving no one behind” of Sustainable Development Goal.
The Constitution of World Health Organization states, “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights.” TMUH believes that “Healthcare has no boundaries” and has put thorough efforts in providing the most down-to-earth medical service, professional medical training, public health promotions, and the medical specialists to fight against COVID-19 with our friend in Africa, the locals in Eswatini. With the professional medical team from TMUH, we are motivated to become the model of international medical cooperation. Furthermore, with the comprehensive promotions in community health in Eswatini, we look forward to further strengthening the diplomatic relationship between two nations.