Vice President Lai attends telemedicine equipment donation ceremony in Palau
On the morning of November 3 (Taipei time), Vice President Lai Ching-te traveled to Belau National Hospital to attend a ceremony for the donation of equipment to a telemedicine center established by Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital and the Palau Ministry of Health and Human Services. The vice president expressed hope that the equipment will improve the health and well-being of the people of Palau, and said he is optimistic that Taiwan and Palau will comprehensively strengthen cooperation to further consolidate our diplomatic ties and bring our peoples closer together.
In remarks, Vice President Lai said he is honored to join Palau Vice President J. Uduch Sengebau Senior, Palau Minister of Health and Human Services Gaafar Ucherbelau, members of Palau's Senate and House of Delegates, and other distinguished guests and the members of his delegation to witness this step forward in public health cooperation between Taiwan and Palau. He expressed his sincere wish that the telemedicine equipment can improve the health and well-being of the people of Palau.
The vice president thanked Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital President Hou Sheng-Mao (侯勝茂), who took part in the launch of a cooperative health program in Palau when he was minister of Taiwan's Department of Health in 2007. He pointed out that 15 years later, in his current role, President Hou is now donating to Palau today's most advanced telemedicine equipment, which is very much needed by the Palauan people.
Vice President Lai called President Hou a leader of the Taiwanese medical community, and said he cares for the Palauan people just as he does for patients in Taiwan. The vice president also thanked Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital Chairman Eugene Wu (吳東進) for strongly supporting medical cooperation between Taiwan and Palau, stating that everything the Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital medical team has done in Palau has demonstrated their dedication to the Hippocratic Oath, whereby physicians pledge to do all they can to serve humanity.
Noting that the donated medical equipment is Taiwan's most advanced telemedicine equipment, the vice president pointed out that Taiwan is facing difficulties associated with an ageing population and access to medical services in remote areas. He added that with the arrival of 5G technology, the Taiwan government hopes to use advanced medical devices to solve healthcare problems, an approach that is also suited to addressing Palau's needs.
The vice president stated that the telemedicine equipment being donated includes a mobile diagnosis and treatment platform developed by AU Optronics Group subsidiary AUO Display Plus. Noting that the platform can go anywhere in Palau and be used to provide remote care, consultations, diagnostics, and prescription services, the vice president said he hopes the device can convey the gratitude of the Taiwanese people to Palau, including to President Surangel S. Whipps Jr., Vice President Sengebau, and others for speaking out for Taiwan at international venues and helping Taiwan in its bid to participate in the World Health Organization and other international bodies.
Vice President Lai emphasized that Taiwan very much hopes to comprehensively strengthen cooperation with Palau, including in the fields of medical care, education, culture, diplomacy, industry, economic affairs, and tourism, in order to further consolidate our diplomatic ties and bring our peoples closer together.
After concluding his remarks, the vice president joined the other guests in attendance in witnessing the donation ceremony.
Among those in attendance at the event were Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光), Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), and Ambassador to Palau Jessica C. Lee (黎倩儀).