Taipei's Daan District Adds 3 More Integrated Health Screening Sessions for Preschool Children

(CNA reporter Yang Shu-min, Taipei, 18th) The Daan District Health Service Center in Taipei announced today that after completing health screenings for 5,930 children aged 3 to 6 in kindergartens this year, with about 200 unable to participate, it will hold three additional sessions on May 30, June 2, and June 6. Spaces are limited, and parents are advised to make reservations on the official website. The Taipei City Department of Health announced at a regular press conference that the Daan District Health Service Center will host three "Preschool Children's Integrated Screening and One-Stop Health Service" sessions on May 30, June 2, and June 6, with registration available on the service center's official website. The center stated that the second session will be held at Taipei City Hospital's Renai Branch, while the first and third sessions will be at the Daan District Health Service Center. Chang Hui-mei, director of the Daan District Health Service Center, told a CNA reporter that from March to May, they collaborated with 106 kindergartens in the district, coordinating medical teams to provide health screening services in childcare facilities. As of May 10, screenings for about 5,930 children aged 3 to 6 were completed. These three additional sessions are being held to accommodate a small number of children who could not make the kindergarten screening dates and to address the health needs of children not enrolled in kindergarten. Chang said it is estimated that about 200 children have not yet had their health screening. As of this morning, the first session is already fully booked, the second has over 10 spots left, and the third has over 30 spots left. She urged parents to book online as soon as possible. If they were to seek these services individually, they would need to make separate appointments for ophthalmology, pediatrics, etc., which would be more costly and time-consuming. Chang pointed out that the session on June 2 will offer integrated screening as well as developmental screening (PeDS), child preventive health care, fluoride varnish application, and child safety, health, and nutrition counseling services. Chang reminded parents that if any suspected abnormalities are found in the screening results, they should arrange for a follow-up examination at a medical institution within two weeks of receiving the notification. For instance, conditions like heart murmurs or abnormal genital structures may not have obvious initial symptoms and require timely diagnosis and treatment to avoid affecting growth and development or subsequent complications. According to statistics from the Daan District Health Service Center, from 2023 to 2025, between 6,545 and 7,220 children aged 3 to 6 completed health screenings each year. Among them, the rate of oral abnormalities decreased annually from 20.7% in 2023 to 13.2% in 2025. The rate of vision abnormalities fluctuated, rising from 14.4% in 2023 to 16.8% in 2024, then decreasing to 12.9% in 2025. The rate of hearing abnormalities slightly increased from 8.9% in 2023 to 10.3% in both 2024 and 2025. (Editor: Kuan Chung-wei) 1150518