A group of philanthropic surgeons — with an average age of 70 — have upheld their Hippocratic oath by providing medical treatment to residents of various remote areas in New Taipei City (新北市) for the past decade.
Led by 70-year-old Yang Yi-chiang (楊義江), a doctor with four decades of experience, the group of 11 senior doctors began their philanthropic work in 2003 at the call of Yang.
Inspired by a campaign initiated by the then-Taipei County Government to improve mobile medical services during weekends, Yang said he was determined to dedicate the latter part of his life to areas that lack medical resources.
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Public Health Department
He called on 10 of his acquaintances who were also medical practitioners to join him.
One day a week, these elderly physicians bring their medical tools and expertise to remote districts in the city, traveling from Shihding (石碇), Pinglin (坪林), Shihmen (石門), Wanli (萬里), Bali (八里) and Linkou (林口) to Shuangsi (雙溪), Sanjhih (三芝), Pingsi (平溪), Sansia (三峽) and Tamsui (淡水).
Over the course of 10 years, they have treated tens of thousands of patients, most of whom speak highly of their kindness, as well as their medical skills.
“Since my name Yi-chiang is homophonous with the word ‘voluntary workers’ (義工) in Hoklo [commonly known as Taiwanese], I guess I am just destined to serve the people,” Yang said.
Yang, who had worked in Saint Mary’s Hospital Luodong, Taipei Hospital and Kuang Tzu Care Home, before setting up his own clinic in the city’s Sinjhuang District (新莊) 30 years ago, said his father, who was a dentist, inspired him to provide medical care to people in remote areas.
“During my time in junior-high school, I often accompanied my father in providing healthcare in remote villages and saw for myself those villagers’ thirst for proper medical care. As I grew older, I encouraged myself to follow my father’s footsteps when I was capable of doing so,” Yang said.
The 70-year-old’s compassion and selflessness seem to have rubbed off on his son, who, despite still being a medical student, has started serving the people by taking charge of some administrative duties for his father’s weekly missions.
Yang, who also set up a free medical-counseling hotline, said that members of his medical team — the youngest being 67 years old and the oldest 75 — consists of both serving and retired doctors who have spared no effort in safeguarding the well-being of residents in remote areas.
“I will not retire for another 20 years or so,” Yang said, adding that he would make offering medical services in remote areas an “inherited profession” for his descendants.
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