The Marshall Islands faces significant challenges in effectively managing epilepsy, which is an illness of concern for the Ministry of Health and Human Services.
“A major obstacle in the medical field is the lack of necessary resources and expertise for accurate diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy,” said the Taiwan Health Center in a release last week.
After the Marshall Islands expressed needs in this field, Taipei Medical University Shuang-Ho Hospital from Taiwan responded by donating electroencephalography (EEG) equipment and providing training and technical support needed for EEG operations.
Majuro hospital’s linkage with Shuang-Ho Hospital in Taipei means that, following examinations of patients in Majuro, hospital staff can transmit EEG data reports to Shuang-Ho Hospital for professional medical interpretation.
This can enhance the quality of diagnosis and care for patients with brain-related diseases such as epilepsy, migraines, and minor strokes, the Taiwan Health Center said.
Shuang-Ho Hospital not only donated an EEG machine but also dispatched medical inspector Cheng Deng-ko to Majuro from June 12 to June 28 to supervise an EEG examination operation training. Majuro Hospital assigned Dr. Adri Hicking and Darrel Matthew for training. They will serve patients in need at Majuro hospital in the future.
The day prior to the EEG training starting, Taiwan Ambassador Steve Hsia and Health Minister Ota Kisino participated in the donation handover ceremony of the EEG equipment and related supplies.
Minister Ota expressed gratitude to Taiwan’s Shuang-Ho Hospital for its continued assistance to the healthcare sector in the Marshall Islands. Ambassador Hsia likewise thanked the Marshall Islands for its ongoing support to Taiwan internationally and acknowledged the decade-long medical contributions of Taiwan’s Shuang-Ho Hospital in the Marshall Islands.