The Japanese Red Cross Society has donated a shipment of 2,730 pieces of artificial skin measuring more than 21m2 (6.35 ping) and worth NT$23.06 million (US$740,289) to Taiwan to help treat hundreds of victims of the fire that ripped through the Formosa Fun Coast (八仙海岸) water park in New Taipei City’s Bali District (八里) on June 27.
The shipment arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday evening and was to be received by the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China before being transported to hospitals treating people who sustained burns in the incident.
The Japanese Red Cross Society has also sent two senior executives from its international medical aid and international relief divisions to Taiwan for updates on the distribution of medical supplies it provides to Taiwanese.
Medical supplies with a gross weight of 555kg are to be delivered to National Taiwan University Hospital, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei Medical University’s Shuang Ho Hospital and Tri-Service General Hospital for immediate use in treating survivors, sources said.
The arrival of the latest Japanese donation boosted Taiwan’s skin stocks to 48m2, including 27m2 of donated skin. However, even the current expanded stocks would fall short of the need for skin among patients being treated at 48 of the nation’s hospitals, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said.
Taiwan Medical Association secretary-general Tsai Ming-chung (蔡明忠) estimated that a total of about 150m2 of cadaver skin is needed for treatment.
Meanwhile, money raised for people affected by the fire surpassed NT$790 million as of Sunday, New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said.
A fund for victims and their families collected the total from 87,202 donations since it opened shortly after the incident, he said, adding that 48,000 were small donations received in the past few days.
The New Taipei City Government would coordinate with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to set up a Burn Resource Integration Center this week, he said.
It is intended to serve as a platform for the coordination of information and resources for those affected by the explosion and ensuing fire during a show at the water park that injured nearly 500 people.
Three people have died from their wounds.
While there has been an outpouring of sympathy for the victims, some concerns have been raised about other critically ill patients at the hospitals not receiving adequate attention.
The criticism that the government has been going out of its way to help the victims with taxpayer’s money has also been rasised in some quarters.
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