Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) yesterday said the government plans to allocate at least NT$20 billion (US$618.2 billion) next year to improving healthcare workers’ labor conditions.
Chen made the remark in the opening speech at the Taiwan Medical Week academic symposium in Taipei hosted by the Formosan Medical Association.
As labor unions have repeatedly asked that healthcare workers’ conditions be improved to no avail, several labor unions protested last month and are planning to hold another rally in front of the Presidential Office Building on Sunday next week.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Chen said that Taiwan ranked No. 1 for the fifth consecutive year on online database Numbeo’s Health Care Index by Country 2023 Mid-Year, with a score of 85.9, and that the achievement could not have been attained if not for healthcare workers’ hard work.
The National Health Insurance (NHI) system also played an important role, but it should not be founded on the “sweat and blood” of healthcare workers, he said, adding that it is important that those working in the healthcare sector feel respected, fulfilled and are paid reasonably for their hard work.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) recently discussed with him, Minister of Health and Welfare Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) and National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) how healthcare workers’ salaries could be improved using the NHI system and public health budgets, Chen said.
He quoted Tsai as saying that as not all healthcare policies rely on the NHI system, more government funding should be allocated to public health and healthcare.
With that idea in mind, the government would allocate at least NT$20 billion next year to improving healthcare workers’ conditions, Chen said.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, people in Taiwan cooperated, recording 252 consecutive days of no new reported cases thanks to lessons learned from fighting SARS in 2003, he said, adding that the accomplishment astonished the world.
However, there were disputes on developing domestic COVID-19 vaccines in 2021, and when forces were split, the nation’s disease prevention capacity was affected, Chen said, encouraging all healthcare workers to cooperate to protect the health of people in Taiwan.
Taiwan last night blanked world No. 1 Japan 4-0 to win the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time. Taiwanese ace Lin Yu-min (林昱珉) held defending champions Japan to just one hit and no runs in the first four innings, before catcher Lin Chia-cheng (林家正) opened the fifth inning with a solo home run. That was soon followed by a three-run homer from Taiwanese captain Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) to put Taiwan ahead in the prestigious tournament of the world’s top 12 baseball teams. In addition to a superb performance from 21-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Lin, three more Taiwanese pitchers
Taiwan yesterday advanced to the gold medal match of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) Premier12 for the first time in history, despite last night losing 9-6 to Japan. Taiwan advanced after the US defeated Venezuela in the first game on the last day of the Super Round. However, the US had no chance of advancing to the championship game unless it defeated Venezuela by at least nine points. The US won 6-5. As a result, the two teams — who both had one win and two losses in the Super Round — are to face off again in the
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday held an equipment installation ceremony for its first 2-nanometer fab in Kaohsiung, six months ahead of schedule, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said. “To cope with the strong global demand for advanced chips, TSMC is to start moving in equipment for its first-ever 2-nanometer fab half a year earlier than scheduled,” Chen said at an question-and-answer session at the Kaohsiung City Council. TSMC’s 2-nanometer process technology would help accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) applications as well as the transformation of local industries in Kaohsiung, Chen said in a
TEAM TAIWAN: While lawmakers proposed declaring Nov. 24 a national day, the CPBL commissioner urged the legislature to pass the budget for sports development Lawmakers yesterday proposed designating Nov. 24 as National Baseball Day and updating the design of the NT$500 bill to honor the national team’s victory in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 championship on Sunday, as thousands of fans came out to see the players parade down the streets of Taipei. Players, coaches and staff from the national team returned home on Monday night after achieving their best-ever performance in an international baseball tournament. After receiving a rapturous welcome at the airport, the players turned out yesterday for a street parade in front of thousands of adoring fans waving Taiwanese flags and
RSS