Taipei, Jan. 8 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian met Tuesday with Kevin Chan-kam, a Chinese-Mauritius teenager who underwent a complex surgical procedure at Taiwan's Chang Gung Memorial Hospital last November to correct a congenital craniofacial deformity.
Chen congratulated Kevin on the success of the surgery that has largely corrected the 16-year old's severe midface retrusion and mandible protrusion.
Noting that the success signifies Taiwan's progress in medical services, Chen said he was very pleased to see Kevin's full recovery from the surgery and his transformation into a handsome boy.
Chen went on to say that Taiwan is more than willing to make greater contributions to the world in the medical services field. "This is why we look forward to joining the World Health Organization to fulfill our obligations as a member of the international community," he added.
Kevin's parents, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Superintendent Chen Yu-ruey and key members of the surgical team were also present at the meeting.
The president told his guests that he visited Mauritius in 1997 when he was still Taipei mayor. "It is a beautiful island, like Taiwan," he recalled. "Despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Mauritius," Chen said, "Taiwan's representative office there bears the island's official national title--the Republic of China."
Kevin's parents are descendants of early Cantonese immigrants to Mauritius, a small volcanic island in the Indian Ocean approximately 800 km east of Madagascar. Mauritius is home to about 30,000 overseas Chinese -- the largest population of overseas Chinese residing in a single African nation.
Kevin had suffered from Pfeiffer syndrome before the surgery and his ability to chew, speak and even breathe have been markedly improved by the surgery.
The boy underwent extensive cranial remodeling in South Africa when he was four months old to allow his brain to develop normally, with subsequent follow-up remodeling operations at ages one and six.
An outstanding student who recently placed 49th among over 14,000 teens who took part in Mauritius' nationwide high school exams, the boy said at a press conference held after the latest surgery that he hopes to become an accountant.
Kevin's actual surgery costs were covered by the Chang Gung Hospital, while Taiwan's Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation sponsored his living expenses for his six-week stay here. Singapore Airlines sponsored his round-trip tickets.