Taiwan Adventist Hospital yesterday led a team to share Taiwan’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with more than 100 US and Canadian delegates in a videoconference, which reportedly involved medical delegates from the US military.
As the coronavirus is quickly spreading in North America and threatening people’s health there, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it worked with the hospital to arrange the videoconference to help US and Canadian governments bolster their responses to the virus.
Hospital president Huang Hui-ting (黃暉庭) led the team to brief the foreign delegates on how Taiwan implemented disease prevention policies.
Photo couresty of Taiwan Adventist Hospital
The virtual conference was attended by more than 100 local government officials, health experts and medical personnel from California, Washington state, Hawaii, the US territory of Guam, the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, as well as Toronto, Canada, who exchanged opinions about the pandemic for nearly two hours, the ministry said.
Guam Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero and Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Governor Ralph Torres also attended the meeting, it added.
Medical teams from the US Pacific Air Forces and the US Indo-Pacific Command also attended the meeting, the Central News Agency reported, citing information provided by the hospital.
As of press time last night, the American Institute in Taiwan “had not confirmed.”
While Taiwan’s achievements in containing the disease have won global acclaim, the details might not be clear to many, Huang said, adding that the hospital could share its experience, as it has treated some COVID-19 patients.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) said in his opening speech that Taiwan’s success at containing the virus can be attributed to six principles: The government quickly responded to the virus with pre-emptive planning; maintained transparency of information; suspended exports of key medical supplies, including masks and disinfectants, and increased their production to meet local demand; and fully empowered an all-government command system to coordinate resources and personnel among government agencies.
It also required domestic medical institutions to brace for potential cluster infections in their facilities, while vigorously tracking the conditions of confirmed patients, he said.
The nation would continue to boost anti-pandemic cooperation with other countries to manifest the spirit that “Taiwan can help, and Taiwan is helping,” Hsu said.
Additional reporting by CNA
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