Vice President Hsiao: Deepen Taiwan-Palau Medical Cooperation to Realize the Spirit of Shared Prosperity

(Central News Agency, Koror, Palau, June 9) Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim today visited the Belau National Hospital, stating that medical cooperation has always been a crucial area of Taiwan-Palau collaboration. She noted that both Palau and Taiwan face the common challenge of manpower shortages. Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Ching-yi has visited Palau multiple times in the past to understand medical needs. In recent years, through the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan has continuously assisted Palau in introducing new digital medical technologies, establishing telemedicine and related digital infrastructure, and enhancing testing capabilities.

The Vice President stated that whether through technical or medical missions, the cooperation between Taiwan and Palau has made concrete contributions to local residents, and efforts will continue in the future.

She emphasized that she believes all Taiwanese people will be proud, as Taiwan is a force for good in the world. Taiwan's foreign policy is based on using soft power and technology to assist allied nations in sustainable development, meeting the needs of local residents, and achieving shared prosperity with them. This is the core of the 'Palau Prosperity Project.'

Accompanying the Vice President, Deputy Minister Lin Ching-yi stated that one of the most pressing issues for Palau's healthcare system is the shortage of specialist physicians, particularly a severe lack of pediatricians. She suggested that establishing a more comprehensive pharmaceutical supply and primary healthcare system locally, allowing patients to receive treatment directly, would be more efficient than relying solely on dispatched physicians.

Deputy Minister Lin pointed out that Taiwan itself faces a shortage of physicians. Therefore, combining a telemedicine consultation mechanism with regular or irregular small-scale medical missions is a more feasible and practical solution at this stage.

According to reports, the Belau National Hospital is the only hospital in Palau. It has approximately 80 beds, operating rooms, a delivery room, a hemodialysis unit, radiology, rehabilitation, and laboratory departments, and provides general outpatient services. The hospital has long relied on medical professionals from the Philippines, Fiji, Japan, and other countries for support.

In terms of Taiwan-Palau medical cooperation, both sides have actively promoted smart medical projects in recent years. These include establishing an AI screening system for diabetic retinopathy, a digital pathology platform, and a medical image integration system, allowing Taiwanese doctors to assist with remote diagnoses, significantly shortening patient waiting times. Taiwan has also donated an outpatient queuing system and portable ultrasound equipment to improve the operational efficiency of Belau National Hospital and medical service capabilities in remote areas.

Furthermore, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital has been deeply involved in Palau for nearly 20 years. Through regularly dispatching medical personnel to serve locally, assisting with patient referrals to Taiwan, training Palauan medical staff, and donating medical equipment, it has deepened the Taiwan-Palau medical partnership and demonstrated Taiwan's long-term commitment to enhancing the medical resilience of its allied nations. (Editors: Su Lung-chi, Yang Kai-hsiang) 1150609