International service teams win national honors

Source: Taipei Medical University

Published on 2018-04-11

TMU’s Student Service Society was recognized with three awards at the 2017 Young Overseas Peace Mission Recognition and Sharing Conference. The Swaziland, Cambodia and Nepal global medical services teams won the gold, silver and bronze awards respectively.


Vice President Chien-jen Chen (fourth from left) presents the gold award to the Swaziland Overseas Medical Service Team

The Kingdom of Swaziland is one of Taiwan’s diplomatic partners. However, a shortage of medical resources leaves many Swazis unable to consult doctors during their lifetimes, let alone receive dental care. Where Taipei has a dentist for every 800 people, Swaziland has a dentist for every 60,000 people.

For this reason, TMU’s Overseas Medical Service Team visits Swaziland during winter vacation each year to focus on dental practice, so local people can experience oral health care. Each team member has varied learning opportunities, especially when working with the Taiwan medical mission there in joint clinics. This team spent 11 days and served over a thousand people.

Dr. Mabuza (fourth from left), Swazi Dental Affairs minister, presents a letter of appreciation to TMU’s Swaziland Overseas Medical Service Team

Oral hygiene education in Swaziland