On April 18, 2006, the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) dispatched a Mobile Medical Mission to Panama and Guatemala to provide free medical treatment. Dr. Twu Shiing-jer, the National Policy Advisor from the President's Office led the mission. Dr. Chen Chi-Fu from the TaiwanICDF, who has 10 years of medical experience in Africa, served as the chief of the team. The rest of the team members came from Taipei Municipal Wan Fang Hospital, Yuli Veterans Hospital and Chung Shan Medical University. While in Panama and Guatemala, the mission would collaborate with the First Lady's office and Ministry of Health Care to reach the remote villages in the region.

Poverty is particularly prevalent in rural areas in both Panama and Guatemala. After Hurricane Stan devastated Central America at the end of 2005, Guatemala was suffered greatly. The torrential rain lasted for several days and the landslides caused hundreds of deaths. Many more were stranded and made homeless. Even after half a year, the remote villages in the mountainous areas still lacked medical attention and health care. The TaiwanICDF responded to the region's needs with Taiwanese medical professions joining the Mobile Medical Mission to provide outreach clinics.

The mission is carrying 500 bottles of children's vitamins, as well as toothbrushes and toothpaste donated respectively by a Taiwan pharmaceutical factory and the Chinese Dental Association (Taiwan). These gifts will be distributed to the people receiving the medical service, and health education will be provided when appropriate. This Mobile Medical Mission is expected to complete their journey and return to Taiwan on May 16, 2006.

The TaiwanICDF is the sole organization representing Taiwan for its overseas development assistance . Currently there are 4 long-term medical missions located in allied nations in Africa. The Mobile Medical Mission will be the core project for the TaiwanICDF throughout this year. Medical professionals are encouraged to join, and more missions have been planned and will be dispatched to countries in need of medical attention in the near future. The TaiwanICDF is also planning to assist medical staff from allied countries to travel to Taiwan to receive medical training. Through the exchange of medical experience between Taiwan and its partner countries, we wish to enrich medical cooperation and benefit more people around the world.

• Update: 2018/03/01
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