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TaiwanICDF and NTUH to Monitor Long-Term Health in Tuvalu
The Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) and the National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital’s Yunlin Branch on April 1, 2025 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for long-term health monitoring in Tuvalu. The MOU forms part of the TaiwanICDF’s in the country under the Tuvalu Community Behavior and Attitude Survey—Long-Term Health Monitoring and Intervention Research. The MOU was signed by TTM head Kuo Chin-chien and NTU Hospital Yunlin Branch Superintendent Dr. Ma Hui-Ming. The signing was witnessed in-person and virtually by Ambassador to Tuvalu Andrew Lin, Tuvalu’s Minister of Agriculture Sa'aga Talu Teafa (on behalf of the Tuvaluan Ministry of Health), and TaiwanICDF Deputy Secretary General Stephen J.H. Lee. The collaboration aims to help Tuvaluans understand the health benefits of home gardens, encouraging them to proactively adopt healthier lifestyles.
During the signing ceremony, Dr. Ma highlighted that approximately 70% of Tuvaluan adults suffer from obesity, and climate change is threatening food security in the country. Starting this year, the NTU Hospital’s Yunlin Branch is collaborating with the TaiwanICDF and the Tuvaluan government to enhance the country’s health resilience through public health methodologies and biomonitoring.
Ambassador Lin emphasized that Taiwan has been dedicated to agricultural cooperation with Tuvalu for over 20 years, actively working to improve nutrition and health there. Such efforts have bolstered agricultural production and encouraged the consumption of more fruits and vegetables, enhancing the overall health of Tuvaluans. Through the MOU, the TaiwanICDF aims to establish a systematic framework for assessing the health impacts of climate change using scientific research, bringing tangible benefits to Tuvaluans. Minister Sa'aga Talu Teafa acknowledged the challenges Tuvalu faces in climate change and nutrition. He expressed gratitude for Taiwan’s professional assistance in conducting research to improve local livelihoods. TaiwanICDF Deputy Secretary General Stephen Lee also expressed his belief that ongoing collaboration with Tuvalu would validate the effectiveness of the TTM’s development assistance model in strengthening the climate resilience of island nations.
This initiative stems from past Taiwan-Tuvalu cooperation in agriculture. Since 2015, the TTM has assisted the Tuvaluan government in establishing three regional farms and promoting home gardening, increasing local agricultural supply. Within three years, these efforts successfully reduced Tuvalu’s leafy vegetable imports by half, providing residents with more locally grown produce.
Research by the TTM has demonstrated the positive impact of food and agricultural education on Tuvaluans' dietary health. This year, the TTM launched the Expansion of Agricultural Production and Promotion of Nutritional Balance Project to integrate agricultural resilience and nutritional balance while promoting environmental sustainability and economic development. With the expertise of the NTU Hospital’s Yunlin Branch, scientific data will further validate the effectiveness of Taiwan’s aid model, enhancing Tuvalu’s climate resilience and showcasing Taiwan’s multifaceted contributions on the international stage.
Moving forward, the TaiwanICDF and the NTU Hospital’s Yunlin Branch will extend its collaboration from hospitals to communities and schools. The hospital also plans to dispatch short-term nutritionists to Tuvalu to promote nutritional awareness. By leveraging combined strengths and shared resources, this initiative will deepen the impact of international development assistance, actively implementing Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-Lung’s policy of “integrated diplomacy,” and strengthening Taiwan-Tuvalu relations.
- 更新日期: 2025/04/02
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