2021-9-17

COVID-19 has caused over 4 million fatalities across the globe, and also took the life of over 500 physicians in Indonesia. Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital (KMUH), and the Taiwan Section of the International College of Surgeons (ICS Taiwan) have raised funds for purchasing medical equipments to aid Indonesia. An online donation ceremony was held on August 9, 2021.

The donation ceremony was held in the presence of KMU President Chung Yu-Chih, KMU Vice President Ming-Lung Yu , KMUH Superintendent Inn-Wen Chong , KMUH Vice Superintendent Shang-Jyh Hwang , Deputy Director-General Michael Chang-Cheng Liu of the MOFA Southern Taiwan Office, Deputy Director-General Meng-Chiao Lin of the Kaohsiung City Department of Health, Chairman  Tsung-Horng Lai of the Kaohsiung City Medical Association, Vice Chairman Jong-Chou Chang  of the Kaohsiung City Medical Association, ICS Taiwan Chairman Kung-Kai Kuo . Dr. Liang-Hua Huang represented the donor side and Professor Aij-Lie Kwan  of the KMU Neuroscience Research Center and Designate Chairperson of ICS Taiwan was the recipient. Furthermore, the mayor of Surabaya of Indonesia, ICS Indonesia, ICS representatives, and former KMU Vice President Dr. Yi-Min Arthur Chen were also invited to the online donation ceremony.

According to KMU President Chung, as medical personnel across the globe are facing extremely severe occupational risks while the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the provision of sufficient protective equipment and medication demands immediate action. We thank Professor Aij-Lie Kwan, Chairperson Designate of ICS Taiwan, for convening such a meaningful fundraiser to provide funds for ICS Indonesia to purchase epidemic control supplies for frontline medical personnel in Indonesia in order to overcome the challenges of COVID-19 together.

According to KMUH Superintendent Chong, it is a wonderful deed to provide Indonesian medical personnel with epidemic control medication through collaboration. Over the last decade or so, ICS Indonesia and ICS Taiwan have maintained perfect teamwork with many countries engaged in humanitarian health assistance. It is hoped that this donation will be of help to medical personnel, and that the world can overcome COVID-19 as early as possible.

According to Professor Kwan who is from Indonesia  , as over 500 physicians died due to the pandemic when it broke out last year, the local healthcare system had broken down, and KMU and ICS Taiwan thus convened this fundraiser to raise funds to purchase epidemic control medication for Indonesia.

Through the intensive efforts of medical experts, the monetary contributions of KMU and ICS Taiwan, and a personal donation of US$100,000 by Dr. Liang-Hua Huang, the fundraiser has raised a total of NT$3.8 million and 100,000 specialty medical masks. The sum will be used to purchase medical supplies to support Indonesian frontline medical personnel.

According to Professor Kwan, during the pandemic, countries around the world have helped one another by donating medical supplies. For example, Japan donated over 3 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the USA donated over 2.5 million doses of Moderna vaccine, Lithuania donated 20,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Taiwan, and Slovakia will also donate 10,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Taiwan in appreciation of Taiwan’s donation of 700,000 facemasks to them. The donations of these countries have warmed each and every citizen in Taiwan who has been restricted to their home during the level 3 epidemic alert. Taiwan will always repay people’s kind assistance!

Article and pictures courtesy of Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital Facebook Fanpage