An anonymous philanthropist yesterday donated NT$100 million to the Taipei City Government, to help in its battle against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
"We are very grateful for his generosity and compassion. This is the largest private donation the city has ever received," said Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
"This is also a commendation of the efforts made by the medical staff at Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital fighting against SARS," Ma said.
According to Ma the entrepreneur's generosity was prompted by the previous care his wife had received from Hoping Hospital. A decade ago the donor's wife developed a high fever on night and went into a coma.
She was sent to a private hospital which was, however, full and could not admit her. Eventually she was admitted to Hoping Hospital where, under the care of the hospital's medical personnel, she made a complete recovery.
When the donor saw the bravery of Hoping Hospital's staff since the imposition of quarantine last week, he recalled the kindness his wife had received and decided to make the donation.
The entrepreneur, who was not willing to reveal his identity, also explained his motivation in a letter.
"Although SARS is formidable, I do not consider it incurable," he wrote.
"The important thing is for the patients to receive thorough care in regards to their spirit, nutrition, environment and treatment. They should believe firmly they could defeat the virus and recover fully.
"Nobody can be disengaged in the battle against SARS. I am most touched by Taipei City, led by the mayor, for its painstaking endeavors," he wrote.
"I hope that my action will find a response among the public, moving them to help as much as they can. We should show our concern and love to bring peace to the whole country.
"I am especially grateful to Hoping Hospital. Ten years ago when I sent my wife to Hoping Hospital, she was tended carefully. Although the equipment at Hoping was slightly outdated, she still recuperated well," he wrote.
In related news, Ma announced yesterday that Hoping Hospital would be turned into a center specially designed to treat SARS patients after it completed the transfer of all its patients and disinfection of all its buildings.
Armed Forces Sung Shan Hospital (國軍松山醫院) would also become another SARS center since it had been taking in SARS patients from Hoping.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique