The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) yesterday said that there are enough beds at hospices around the country for patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS).
On Wednesday, a local Chinese-language newspaper reported a medical breakthrough where several PVS patients woke up after a nerve-cell stimulating chip was implanted into patients' neck area.
These cases, conducted by Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, took place about a year ago and were recently released by the hospital.
In response to the report, the MOI provided information about the welfare options offered to PVS patients to give the public a better understanding of how the government is taking care of these patients.
According to the MOI' s Department of Statistics, as of Dec. 30, there were a total of 4,511 PVS patients in Taiwan.
Creation Social Welfare Foundation, which has dedicated itself to taking care of PVS patients for many years, now offers hospices in eleven counties and cities to provide full-time care for the patients.
Out of the 472 available beds, only 293 are occupied, leaving 179 empty. In addition, there are three private hospices, which are located in Taipei County, Hsinchu County and Tainan City respectively, which provide an additional 164 beds; of which 118 are currently occupied and 46 are unoccupied.
According to the Ministry' s Department of Social Affairs, PVS patients are categorized as mentally and physically disabled patients and receive the same welfare as other types of patients under the categories.
"The government provides financial assistance to middle and low income households who have family members who are disabled," said Chen Chin-yu (陳瑾瑜), an official with the department.
Assistance
For a patient that is taken care of at home, a family may receive financial assistance between NT$3,000 to NT$7,000 per month.
For a patient that is admitted to a hospice, a family may be reimbursed up to half of the total cost incurred on a monthly basis.
All financial assistance will be assessed by social workers who work for local governments.
The department also said that due to the special care needed by PVS patients, which is different from other mentally and physically disabled patients, the growth of private hospices for PVS patients is rather slow. However, civic entities that are interested in setting up such hospices will receive assistance and advice from local governments.
Debate
Reacting to the controversial legal debate surrounding the Terri Shiavo case, a long-term PVS patient in the US whose feeding tube was removed at her husband's will, Creation Social Welfare Foundation said that it takes a pro-life stance.
According to a public relations representative with the foundation yesterday, the foundation has been approached by Taiwanese media about its take on the issue.
The foundation stated that life is precious and one should not give up the right to survive.
There is always hope, said the foundation, and the families of PVS patients may not make the choice to end the patient's life.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday appealed to the authorities to release former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) from pretrial detention amid conflicting reports about his health. The TPP at a news conference on Thursday said that Ko should be released to a hospital for treatment, adding that he has blood in his urine and had spells of pain and nausea followed by vomiting over the past three months. Hsieh Yen-yau (謝炎堯), a retired professor of internal medicine and Ko’s former teacher, said that Ko’s symptoms aligned with gallstones, kidney inflammation and potentially dangerous heart conditions. Ko, charged with
RSS