Reports reveal a concerning rise in the number of patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal cancer in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Regrettably, the sole colonoscopy system at Majuro Hospital is presently non-operational, impacting the capacity for clinical diagnosis and treatment. In response to this urgent healthcare need, following collaborative discussions between senior representatives of Shuang Ho Hospital and Majuro Hospital, a plan was devised to dispatch a gastroenterology expert to the Marshall Islands in June for short-term medical services. Alongside this medical mission, Shuang Ho Hospital also contacted the Taiwan Global Medical Instrument Support and Service Program (GMISS), which generously donated a complete set of colonoscopy equipment to Majuro Hospital. This initiative not only facilitates expanded access to colonoscopy screening services by gastroenterologists in June but also Majuro Hospital can sustain its critical role in providing indispensable diagnostic and treatment solutions for the Marshallese citizens.
On May 10, 2024, in a significant ceremony graced by the presence of Republic of China (Taiwan) Ambassador Steve C.C. Hsia and Minister of Health and Human Services of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Ota Kisino, the official handover of the colonoscopy equipment was successfully completed. The Minister of Health expressed heartfelt gratitude to R.O.C. Taiwan for its enduring commitment and support to enhancing healthcare services in the Marshall Islands. Ambassador Hsia reciprocated the appreciation by acknowledging the Marshall Islands for their unwavering backing of Taiwan and commended Shuang Ho Hospital for a decade of dedicated medical outreach in the Marshall Islands. Both also thanked GMISS for its generous donation.
