Taipei, Jan. 6 (CNA) A university hospital medical mission, with the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Department of Health (DOH), conducted a free clinic and implemented a medical cooperation plan in the Solomon Islands from Jan. 3 - 6, MOFA said in a statement Friday.
Kaohsiung Medical University's Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, sent 10 experts, led by university president Wang Kuo-chao and Chung-Ho Hospital superintendent Hsu Shen-hsiung.
The team conducted a free clinic and held working meetings to exchange opinions on future collaboration with medical experts from the Solomons, which has official ties with Taiwan.
The Taiwanese mission also donated medical equipment to the South Pacific nation and signed a "sister hospital" agreement with the National Referral Hospital in Honiara.
MOFA said in its statement that Taiwan is committed to the objectives of the World Health Organization (WHO) and believes all peoples are entitled to the highest possible level of health, which is why Taiwan is working on boosting bilateral medical cooperation between the two countries and urging major Taiwanese hospitals to reach out a helping hand to less-developed countries.
In October 2004 MOFA worked with the DOH and invited major local hospitals, including Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei Municipal WangFang Hospital and Changhua Christian Hospital, to participate in a project to send short-term medical missions to various Taiwanese allies biannually.
Chung-Ho Hospital is the first hospital to send out a medical mission.