The Taipei City Government will provide cervical cancer vaccinations for free to low income residents and junior high school girls whose mother suffered from the cancer at the end of this year.
The measure would make the city government the first local government to provide free cervical cancer vaccinations to certain residents, as the Kinmen County Government and the Chiayi County Government will not do so until next year.
According to Allen Chiu (邱文祥), commissioner of Taipei City's Health Department, the vaccine can prevent cervical cancer efficiently, but as the budget is limited, the department will first give free vaccinations to 300-600 residents with either low income or at high risk of getting the cancer.
The vaccine costs NT$3,500 per shot, and three shots are required within six months for the vaccine to be effective, which would cost NT$10,500, Chiu said.
Statistics from the city government showed that the cancer was among the top ten causes of death in the city.
About 30 percent of Taipei women have not been tested for cervical cancer in the past three years, while 88 percent agreed that the government should provide the free vaccine, according to a survey by the Health, Welfare & Environment Foundation.
Citing the survey results, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei City Councilor Chen Yu-mei (
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
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