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SARS fighter made Hoping chief

Chu Ta-cheng, 45, was named by the Taipei City Government yesterday as the new superintendent of Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital. PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The Taipei City Government yesterday announced neurosurgeon Chu Ta-cheng (璩大成) as the new superintendent of Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital.

"One important reason that 45-year-old Chu was chosen by the city government to take over the post was that he was inside Hoping Hospital during the hospital's isolation period, working with the medical staff to survive the hardest time Hoping ever had," said Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).

"Many Hoping employees have commended Chu's performance inside the hospital. Chu was there to support the medical staff through the darkest time, and his health was affected as a result of his work in Hoping," Ma added.

Right after the hospital was sealed off on April 24, Chu, then deputy superintendent of Taipei Municipal Jen-Ai Hospital, was stationed inside the hospital by the request of Taipei City Government in a bid to boost the morale of the hospital's medical staff and help handle the crisis.

After two weeks of quarantine, he started running a fever on May 3.

He was sent back to Jen-Ai for treatment on May 6 and he was discharged on May 19. He was placed under home quarantine after that and he only returned to work yesterday.

"The Hoping medical team's health will be my first priority [in my new position]," Chu said.

"The first thing I would like to do is to help them recuperate both psychologically and physically ... Every hospital has its burden, and the recent damages, it is very important now to try to gather different forces to restore Hoping to its former glory," he said.

Taipei City Bureau of Health Director Chang Heng (張珩) has described Chu as an enthusiastic man with a strong sense of justice. He quoted Chu as saying that the most important achievement of his career had been the two weeks in Hoping, supporting and working with the hospital employees.

The city government yesterday also announced that Hoping Hospital would resume part of its normal treatment services on June 9.

"All departments will restart their services on June 9, with at least one doctor on duty in the morning, afternoon and evening," Ma said.

Ma further pointed out that the negative-pressure rooms would be ready by June 17, and on June 19 Hoping would be back in full force, with all services available prior to the shutdown back online.

Hoping would also charge no registration fee between June 9 and June 30, said Chang. Moreover, patients who have their blood tested for SARS would not need to pay during this period.

The hospital also plans to start providing medication for patients with chronic diseases and offer to deliver the prescribed drugs by post or Takkyubin, an express door-to-door service.

Meanwhile, the city government will set up a Wanhua Recuperation Committee headed by Ma this week in the hope to revitalize the district, which has been battered severely during the SARS storm. The district is the home to Hoping Hospital and Jen Chi Hospital and the Huachang Public Housing Complex.
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