As cancer has been a leading cause of death for 43 consecutive years, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) says the first focus of his Healthy Taiwan Initiative is promoting cancer prevention and treatment. Lai spoke at National Taiwan University (NTU) Hospital’s anniversary celebration this Monday, where he thanked the hospital for safeguarding people’s health and greatly contributing to society over the past 130 years.
Funding has been increased from NT$2.8 billion (US$95 million) last year to NT$6.8 billion (US$231 million) this year to expand, lower the age for, and broaden the scope of cancer screenings, detailed Lai. He explained that screenings for lung and stomach cancer will be added to those already in place for oral, colorectal, breast, and cervical cancer.
NTU Hospital chairperson and superintendent Wu Ming-shiang (吳明賢) highlighted that over the past 130 years the hospital has cultivated countless talents through medical education and research, and that this anniversary marks a midpoint rather than a full stop.
The administration’s goal is to increase the average life expectancy from 79 to 82 years old within eight years, and Lai says he has high hopes that cancer prevention and treatment will be effective through the efforts of NTU Hospital, achieving progress towards the goal of a healthy Taiwan. Lai also says he hopes to make medical services more accessible by integrating cloud technology into home medical care and remote medical care.