Page 67 - 2024 Taiwan Health and Welfare Report

04 ｜ Health Care

offshore areas, and 20 from rural areas) and 741 (4) A total of 53 tribal health promotion centers have
other medical personnel. The retention rate after been established, conducting health literacy
completing the service term is approximately 70%. courses with approximately 38,144 participants.
3. Remote Areas Nurse Nurturing Plan: With 200 Additionally, family health care reached 12,971
nursing students were nurtured by government individuals.
funding during 2015 to 2018, 185 graduates were 3. Evaluation of the 10 major indigenous community
distributed to rural hospitals until 2023. health action plan:

The Ministry initiated the "Indigenous Health
Chapter 6 Health Care for Specially Inequality Improvement Strategy Action Plan" in
Targeted Groups May 2018. This plan is based on strategies such as
identifying targets through data, finding talent locally,
Section 1 Health Care for Indigenous
and developing methods from cultural insights. It
People analyzes controllable factors affecting the health
Based on the statistics from the Council of of indigenous peoples and formulates health care
Indigenous People, as of the end of December 2023, strategies. The results are as follows:
there were 589,038 indigenous people in Taiwan, (1) In the trial area, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital in
accounting for 2.52% of the total population in our Sioulin Township, Hualien County, implemented
country. In order to enhance the accessibility of health a trial program related to indigenous healthcare,
and medical care in indigenous areas, the strategies including aspects like compensation or
and outcomes of the relevant plans promoted by the incentives. In 2023, the program served 27,949
Ministry in 2023 are as follows: individuals. The utilization rate of at least 4
1. Enhancing primary healthcare services: prenatal check-ups by high-risk pregnant
(1) Enhancing and improving the service quality women increased from 87.4% (in 2017) to
and medical equipment of indigenous areas 98.1% (in 2022). Additionally, the accident and
offshore islands: subsidies were provided to local injury mortality rate decreased from 56.4% to
governments for the construction, renovation, 46%. Furthermore, in 2023, there were 5,315
and repair of 4 health clinic buildings, as well as cases of digestive cancer diagnosed, with a
for the update of 65 items of medical equipment positive rate of 39%. Positive cases received
and mobile medical vehicles (motorcycles). eradication treatment. The cumulative voluntary
(2) The broadband speed of health centers and screening rate for certain individuals aged 35 to
touring medical points in indigenous areas 64 in mountainous areas increased from 53%
was continuously maintained and upgraded to (2018-2020) to 57% (2021-2023). For certain
100Mbps at a total of 340 locations. individuals aged 65 and above in mountainous
2. Enhancing local capacities for medical care: areas, the annual voluntary screening rate was
(1) A total of 33 telemedicine specialty clinics for 58%.
ENT and dermatology have been established in (2) According to statistics from the Ministry of the
rural areas, and medical personnel are continually Interior, in 2022, the average life expectancy of
encouraged to set up practices in these regions. indigenous people at birth was 73.65 years. The
(2) Subsidies for transportation costs were provided gap between their average life expectancy and
to indigenous people for referrals, major or the national average life expectancy at birth has
emergency medical treatment, prenatal check- narrowed from 8.17 years in 2017 to 6.19 years
ups, deliveries, and the use of social welfare (about 2 years).
resources, benefiting 21,357 individuals. 4. Completion of the "Indigenous Peoples Health Act"
(3) A total of 712 indigenous state-funded students Legislation:
have been trained, including 344 doctors, 90 In respecting the wishes of indigenous peoples and
dentists, 203 nurses, and 75 other medical their spirit of autonomous development, and to
personnel. promote the development of indigenous peoples'

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