Taiwan is helping! CMUH is helping!

Breaking through the pandemic

Humanitarian medical treatment for Guam patient witnesses Taiwan’s warmth and medical resilience

International Center of China Medical University Hospital

China Medical University Hospital (CMUH) joined forces with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in making the ‘Guam humanitarian medical charter flight’ a reality.  Under the stringent test of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the positive energy of ‘Taiwan is helping! CMUH is helping!’ has been brought to life.  One of the passengers, the hospital directed 20,000 US dollars to Latisha’s medical expenses. Latisha Guerrero, a patient weighing 553 lbs who received internal medical treatment and a difficult bariatric surgery, has lost 44 lbs, greatly helping prevent the threat to her life due to obesity.  The Director General of North American Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Douglas Yu-tien Hsu, who was especially invited to the hospital to visit patients, expressed his gratitude to the hospital for taking concrete actions in Grassroots Diplomacy.  Latisha happily said after the surgery, “Thank you, Taiwan! Thank you, CMUH, in helping me open up another beautiful chapter of my life!”

(From right to left: CMUH Deputy Superintendent Li-Hui Yang, Superintendent of CMUH BMI Center Chih-Kun Huang, Superintendent of CMUH Der-Yang Cho, Guam patient Latisha, Director General of North American Affairs of MOFA Douglas Yu-tien Hsu, Officer of North American Affairs of MOFA Andy Ping-fang Jian, CEO of CMUH International Center Aichi Chou)

High standards of epidemic prevention measures. Real-time humanitarian medical rescue

The superintendent of CMUH, Der-Yang Cho, highlights that the hospital strongly promotes international medical treatment.  However, due to the severe impact of COVID-19 last year which resulted in restrictions on foreigners coming to Taiwan for treatment, the Guam humanitarian medical charter flight is a great achievement, while implementing a high standard of epidemic prevention measures.  After entering Taiwan, Latisha took a private epidemic prevention vehicle to go directly to the negative pressure isolation ward after arriving at the hospital.  The first and second PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests came back negative.  Protective clothing and equipment, and cleaning and disinfection measures were stringently put in place to carry out this medical rescue under rigorous anti-epidemic measures.

In addition to medical services, we collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to fulfill our belief that ‘international medical treatment is the most powerful tool in diplomacy’.  From presenting the Guam Government with 200,000 masks, the ‘masks diplomacy’ at the height of the pandemic in May last year, to the Guam humanitarian medical charter flight which arrived safely in Taiwan on January 11 of this year, the true meaning of care has been fully exhibited through Taiwan medical assistance in the challenging era of global lockdown in the international community.

Fully develop the efficacy of Grassroots Diplomacy: High-quality medical treatment getting noticed

The Director General of North American Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Douglas Yu-tien Hsu, expresses appreciation for the coordinating role that CMUH played in making the Guam humanitarian medical charter flight a reality, as well as sponsoring part of the medical expenses for patients from Guam.  These actions have allowed Grassroots Diplomacy to gain traction, which has received great attention and our high-quality medical services are getting noticed.

(From right to left: Superintendent of CMUH BMI Center Chih-Kun Huang, Superintendent of CMUH Der-Yang Cho, Guam patient Latisha, Director General of North American Affairs of MOFA Douglas Yu-tien Hsu)

Great weight reduction during isolation: Post-gastric-bypass surgery recovery was good. Half of the patient's weight is expected to be reduced in the future

Latisha, who was admitted and underwent routine quarantine, also had weight reduction during quarantine.  Superintendent of Body Science and Metabolic Disorders International (BMI)Medical Center, Chih-Kun Huang, stated, “during quarantine, we hormone therapy and administered leptin therapy with a low calorie, high protein diet designed by the dietician for Latisha to reduce the danger of having surgery before undergoing a gastric bypass.  During the 14-day quarantine, the result of her weight reduction was better than expected.  She lost 44 lbs."  The gastric bypass surgery performed on Latisha took only 1.5 hours.  The entire procedure was performed by Superintendent Chih-Kun Huang and went very smoothly with the help and teamwork of the surgical and anesthesia team.  Half of her weight is expected to be lost one-year post-surgery.  Her perennial problem of uncontrollable and ever-increasing weight is thus resolved.

The severely overweight patient from Guam, Latisha, weighing 553 lbs and having a BMI of 92.1, saw the news of her fellow overweight patient, Joseph, who came to CMUH for bariatric surgery that resulted in successful weight loss from 522 lbs to 361 lbs in one year, so she decided to come to Taiwan for treatment.  Latisha was originally scheduled to come to Taiwan in September of last year but her flight was postponed due to the termination of direct flights.  She gained another 66 lbs within a short five months.  Her cardiopulmonary functions were severely compromised, worsening her condition.  After beating all the odds, she was very moved to finally be able to come to Taiwan.  Latisha said “I want to thank everyone for all that has been done for me.  The hospital sponsored a large medical expenses for me.  President Anna Kao of Taiwanese Business Associates of Guam sponsored the flight costs for me and my mother.  I have been cared for like a family member here.  I Love Taiwan！I Love CMUH！”

The hospital sponsored part of the medical expenses. Donations from all over overcame financial difficulties to make a beautiful wish come true

The chief executive of the International Center, Aichi Chou, highlighted that CMUH has been deeply involved in cultivating the Guam market.  More than 400 people have come from Guam in the last five years, of which 10 have come for bariatric surgery with great results, boosting the hospital's reputation.  Latisha comes from Guam and is the 6th patient to receive international humanitarian assistance from CMUH. The hospital frequently provides international medical aid to patients in foreign countries, including Vietnam and Myanmar to name a few. There were a total of four patients from Guam who came on the Guam humanitarian medical charter flight, all made possible by Paul Chen, the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Guam, the Government of Guam, Taiwanese Business Associates of Guam, United Chinese Association of Guam, the Guam Memorial Hospital, Guam Holiday Tours, and the Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW).