APSAA 亞太永續行動獎(Asia-Pacific Sustainability Action Awards )-Sustainability Action Award SDG3:Gold
CHANG GUNG MEMORIAL HOSPITAL,LINKOU
Envisioning the Future: Holistic Care of Retinopathy of Prematurity
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness in developing countries. Previously, Taiwan lacked specialists for advanced ROP treatment, forcing families to seek costly surgeries abroad. This often led to financial hardship and delayed treatment. In 2005, Dr. Wei-Chi Wu from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital trained abroad, then introduced advanced ROP techniques to Taiwan in 2006 and established the Newborn Visual Care Team. By 2019, a Vision Center for Children with Special Needs was launched. Since 2006, over 700 intravitreal injections or laser treatments, and 100 vitrectomies have been performed on ROP infants, saving the vision of hundreds of premature infants and reducing national healthcare costs by over $100 million USD. CGMH pioneered the use of anti-VEGF in ROP treatment, contributing significantly to global researches. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the center collaborates with top institutions worldwide. As Taiwan’s foremost center integrating clinical care, education, and research in neonatal ophthalmology, CGMH remains committed to preventing blindness in vulnerable newborns through excellence and innovation.