Beautiful Time in Taiwan
Ms. Lucille Tawaiio Worealevi (Radiologist) – Papua New Guinea (2015/08/29-09/26)
Two months ago if you asked me if I wanted to come to Taiwan， I’d probably hesitate and tell you- I’ll think about it. Ask me that same question today and I’ll give you the biggest smile and say yes without any hesitation. Taiwan is so many kilometers away from Lae (Papua New Guinea) and as you’d expect for a person who was leaving the comfort of their home for the first time. I had a mixture of emotions going through me. I was scared and nervous but very excited for the new experience. I am grateful and thankful for the opportunity that was given to me. Formosa or Taiwan as it’s commonly known by is just as the former name states “Beautiful” in every aspect. Taiwanese people are some of the nicest friendliest people I have ever met in my life. Taiwan people are extremely polite and always ready to give a helping hand， very hardworking and respectful. I also noticed that they’re quite shy.
I have learnt so much whilst here not only in Radiology but on a broader scale as well. I have had the privilege to see all imaging modalities from General radiography (DR) to Nuclear Medicine and observe procedures I’ve only read in Radiology books. Although language was a bit of a barrier my supervisors and all the staff did well to convey important aspects of Digital Radiography and CT to me. I observed the different exams and the protocols they use in their sections， the workflow， the various brands of equipment like GE， Siemens， Toshiba etc. just to name a few and the data management systems . I also got to see some accessory devices that are used to help in their day to day duties. The informatics used in their hospitals is way advanced. Just when I thought I’d seen it all， I get yet another surprise by the cutting edge technology used in Yun Lin Hospital that is second to none. For a small rural hospital to have such cutting edge technology to enhance health care efficiency is remarkable. Taiwan’s waste management system and transport system are the two things I admire and would be interested to learn more about. The Taiwan Healthcare system is made very convenient and easily accessible to its citizen.
Papua New Guinea’s Healthcare system still has plenty room improvements. I do hope and believe that in time it will improve to the standard in which Taiwan’s Healthcare system is at now. Angau General Hospital is the second largest referral hospital in the country. Its radiology department is small compared to that of Changhua Christian Hospital; we have routine x-ray， ultrasound and CT only. The only MRI machine in the country is in a Private hospital and it’s very costly. We have only five radiologists in the country， one is in the private sector and four are in the government hospital of which， one is working at Angau and the other three work in Port Moresby General Hospital. Some of our problems include: accessibility and availability of health services and facilities， lack of proper diagnostic tools and equipment， inadequate Medical Specialists and adequate funding from the Government. Our health service is free in all government run hospitals， and with the large influx of patients and lack of facilities and much needed equipment it’s very hard but we make do. I commend the Taiwan government for placing great priority in their citizen’s health and education. I believe a healthy nation is a rich nation; the human resource is a country’s greatest and most valuable asset.
With the skills I have learnt in Changhua Christian Hospital I will be able to apply them in my work place， I will also share these with my colleagues in other radiology departments so we can be able to make changes where applicable to better our radiological services to serve our very important people， our patients. I will also make recommendations to my Officer in Charge on issues that are at his level to handle that I have learnt here in terms of Administration， informatics and procurement of equipment.
My time spent here has not only been very educational but also fun filled. We have had amazing field trips to exotic and spectacular sites in Taiwan. We went to Taipei on the first weekend and visited the Maokong cable car， Taipei zoo， National Chang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall and the tallest building in Taiwan Taipei 101. All the sites were wonderful but my favorite would have to be Taipei 101， the view from the 89th floor is just incredibly beautiful. I’m afraid of heights but I couldn’t pass by a once in a life time opportunity to get on the fastest elevator in the world and the view is priceless. The night markets are very nice and interesting. I enjoyed walking around in the street going to shops at night it’s so safe at home I can’t go walkabout in the night so it was great fun for me. The food and culture is unique and extraordinary. The moon festival barbecue was pretty awesome too， I really loved the atmosphere and the food was delicious.
All in all I had a beautiful time in Taiwan. I would like to thank the Changhua Christian Hospital team for making us all feel welcome and at home. I would also like to thank all the staff in the Imaging department especially my supervisors for imparting their knowledge to me on the different modalities. And last but not the least I would like to thank the Changhua Christian Hospital Overseas Medical Mission team for everything， for taking good care of us.
