The Ministry of Health and Welfare today held an event urging the public to register as organ donors for the potential to give others a renewed chance at life.
There are more than 10,000 people waiting for organ donations, with an average of 3.3 people dying every day while awaiting a transplant, Taiwan Organ Sharing Registry and Patient Autonomy Promotion Center data showed.
In response, the ministry and Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital held an event today calling on people to sign up online.
Photo: CNA
Huang En-chin (黃恩芹), a lung donation recipient, attended the event and spoke of her gratitude for the donor who saved her life.
Huang developed pulmonary fibrosis in 2023, and within a month, her condition worsened to the point that she needed an oxygen tank to keep breathing, she said.
After receiving a lung transplant, Huang recovered to the point that now she can ride a bicycle again, she said, thanking her “angel” for giving her a second chance at life.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said that over the years, thousands have benefited from improvements in Taiwan’s organ donation systems.
Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital has world-class equipment and personnel, Chiu said.
If more people sign up as organ donors, it would undoubtedly benefit even more patients, he said, adding that it would also benefit hospitals by enabling them to provide even more high-quality care.
In response to questions about allegations of an unnamed hospital performing an illegal organ donation surgery, Chiu said the issue is under review.
Discussions between the ministry and the center have taken place, he said, adding that future discussions are scheduled with the Ministry of Justice.
A preliminary consensus has already been reached, but certain conditions must be met, and related regulations and procedures would continue to be reviewed, he said.
Organ donations are complex processes, hospital director Chen Chien-tsung (陳建宗) said.
However, it can also help people reclaim their lives, Chen said, citing Huang as an example.
Chen also thanked Chiu, the ministry and the government for efforts in helping improve Taiwan’s medical industry, while acknowledging that public complaints cannot be resolved all at once.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS