Taiwan Steps Up Its Medical Diplomacy In Malawi.

[ Up ]

The Mzuzu Central Hospital in Malawi, which was built with assistance from Taiwan, is a model for the “medical diplomacy,” a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) official said on Nov. 11. 2000..

Liu Chen-kun, deputy director of MOFA’s African Affairs Department, said the ROC’s southeast African ally has limited public health and medical facilities.

“At the request of the Malawi government and out of humanitarian considerations, we decided to build a 300-bed hospital in Mzuzu, some 400 kilometers north of the Malawi capital of Lilongwe to serve the Malawi people,” Liu explained.

Construction of the hospital began in June 1998 and was completed in August this year, Liu said, adding that Taiwan transferred the hospital to the Malawi government in mid October.

Liu said the Mzuzu hospital will be formally inaugurated Saturday, with Malawi President Bakili Muluzi personally presiding over a grand ceremony to mark its opening.

Liu continued that the hospital, which carries a price tag of US$14 million, was designed and constructed by Taiwan companies chosen through open tender.

In addition to providing hardware and software equipment, Liu said, Taiwan has also sent a team of medical professionals to assist in the hospital’s operations.

“The construction of the hospital complies with the general domestic public opinion that our foreign aid should benefit both the people of our diplomatic allies and our own economy and general national interests,” Liu said, adding that MOFA will promote this model of cooperation with the ROC’s other allies in the future.

He went on to say that MOFA has arranged for selected large local hospitals, including Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, to help train “seed doctors” for Malawi so that the African ally can one day operate the Mzuzu hospital on its own.

Lo said the draft bill will prescribe the forms, goals, scope, targets, funding sources, evaluation and supervision of Taiwan’s foreign and programs.

He said the ministry would organize a series of seminars to solicit the opinions and support of local scholars, experts and legislators in formulating the relevant legislation.

The draft bill is scheduled to be referred to the Cabinet for approval late this year, after which it will be sent to the Legislative Yuan for further deliberation and approval, Lo added.

The government also planned to allow mainland Chinese investment in Taiwan to help balance flows of capital toward China.

However, Taiwan must still protect its domestic industries to give them time to upgrade and boost their competitiveness.

Officers said, “the government’s greatest challenge is preserve Taiwan’s sovereignty and economic edge”.

In Taiwan the government’s commitment to the “go slow, be patient” policy regarding investment in the mainland. But acknowledged that accession to the WTO would expose Taiwan to the “forces of globalization.”

For the last conclusion that opening direct trade links would be “imperative” to secure future development on the island.