Taiwan hospitals, medical professionals awarded MOFA Friend of Foreign Service Medal

2021/02/22

Two hospitals and five individuals from Taiwan were honored for outstanding contributions in promoting international medical cooperation Feb. 19 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
 Awarded the Friend of Foreign Service Medal by MOFA Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu during a ceremony in Taipei City, the recipients are considered outstanding examples of how Taiwan Can Help strengthen global health by sharing know-how and essential items.
 
 Wu said Taiwan’s medical prowess is a great source of pride and internationally celebrated. The health and well-being of the people in the country’s allies and like-minded partners is significantly benefited through closer cooperation and expanded exchanges, he added.
 
 According to the MOFA, MacKay Memorial Hospital in Taipei City was recognized for working with International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) via projects such as a management and prevention of diabetes, as well as strengthening the public health emergency system in Caribbean ally St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In addition, Taipei-based Cathay General Hospital was honored for partnering with TaiwanICDF in conducting an efficiency enhancement project for health information management in South American ally Paraguay.
 
 Individual recipients include Dr. Kwan Aij-lie of Kaohsiung Medical University in southern Taiwan and Dr. Lin Jaung-geng of China Medical University in central Taiwan’s Taichung City.
 
 Kwan, elected president of the U.S.-headquartered International College of Surgeons in 2018, ran free clinics in remote areas abroad and assisted the country’s nongovernmental organizations participate in World Health Assembly videoconferences last year. Lin is globally renowned as a practitioner and promoter of traditional Chinese medicine, earning accolades from UNESCO and the World Health Organization.
 
 Other awardees are Dr. Chen Ray-jade of Taipei Medical University, who supported medical missions in African ally Kingdom of Eswatini during his tenure as superintendent of TMU’s hospital from 2015 to 2020; Chen Chao-wang, chairman of New Taipei City-based TaiDoc Technology Corp., which donated COVID-19 test kits to Taiwan’s allies and like-minded partners last year; and Grace Wang, chairperson of Taipei-headquartered Latin American Business Council, for assisting Innovative Vista Corp. in New Taipei supply isolation gowns to Caribbean and Latin American countries last year.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)