Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps

5F, No.1, Alley 8, Sihwei Lane, Chung Cheng Rd., Sindian City, Taipei County 231, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Telephone:+886-2-86676700
Fax: +886-2-86676116
Http://www.taiwanroot.org
E-mail: tradm@taiwanroot.org

Overview

Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps (TRMPC) is a private, non-sectarian, non-profit organization dedicated to improving quality of life through provision of medical services and health education. Founded in 1995, by the vision of Dr. Chi-Chun Liu, TRMPC joined talented medical personnel with enthusiastic volunteers to form a medical service group. By providing primary health care and disseminating health information, Taiwan Root offers temporary relief as well as builds foundations for sustainable health care systems in the future. TRMPC believes that medical service should transcend national borders and exceed the limitations of politics, race, and religion. It holds as its end goal a united international community working in cooperation to bring about equitable access of healthcare to all populations.

Where We Work

Initially, TRMPC focused on bringing medical care to indigenous populations inhabiting remote mountain areas of Taiwan. These communities, troubled by increasing problems of poverty, alcoholism, and teenage prostitution, have a much lower standard of living than the rest of the island. Poor transportation further marginalizes the population and hinders ready access to medical services. TRMPC has conducted more than 80 domestic medical service trips.
In 1998, TRMPC extended its services to populations in developing nations. Since then, TRMPC has provided free medical care to isolated populations, served in refugee camps, and treated victims of natural disasters. Included in the areas served by Taiwan Root are Bolivia, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Macedonia, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Swaziland, and Sikkam.

What We Do

TRMPC sets up temporary medical service clinics in different mountain areas of Taiwan every month. Doctors, dentists, and volunteers provide free medical care as well as educational health material to the local population. TRMPC works to improve the local communities’ current condition and offers resources for developing self-reliant health care systems. On international medical service trips, TRMPC extends medical services to the most needy populations, conducts research on tropical diseases and HIV/AIDS, and promotes community-based health education. TRMPC also fosters connections with other international health NGOs. By overcoming differences among nations, TRMPC uses mutual understanding to create cooperative international health initiatives and local capacity-building projects.

Yearly Activities:

I. Free Medical Services
1. Domestic Medical Service Trips. TRMPC conducts monthly visits to remote mountain areas in Taiwan to provide free medical care and health education. The goal is to increase accessibility to medical services and improve the overall quality of life in the local areas. Furthermore, education, as a sustainable impact on the local communities, helps to establish lasting ideas of good health.

2. International Medical Service Trips. Interspersed throughout the year, TRMPC’s international medical service trips focus on improving the health facilities and quality of life of populations in developing countries. Working on the premise that everyone has the basic right to health care, TRMPC provides free medical service and health education.

II. Medical Research
1. Tropical Diseases: TRMPC hopes the blood and stool samples collected from the medical service trips will contribute to the growing research in Taiwan on tropical diseases and bring the research to a more prominent level. Currently, there are collaborative efforts between TRMPC and Dr. Wu at the Center for Parasitic Studies at Taipei Medical University

2. HIV/AIDS: The HIV/AIDS epidemic has devastated many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, leaving in its wake a staggering death toll as well as debilitating economic and social problems. Blood and stool samples collected from the affected regions will be used to enhance Taiwan’s research on the epidemic. Furthermore, TRMPC is working to develop effective community-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

What do we do?

a.disaster relief

b.  regular domestic and overseas voluntary medical service

Totaled 190 missions

c.   cooperation with other NGOs on medical service, medical training and donation of supplies

d.   medical education for medical workers in economically under-developed countries

prospect

a.Goal:

As soon as a disaster takes place, our emergency relief project will be launched in 4-6 hours.

b.Limitations:

Without sufficient diplomatic support, we encounter difficulties while doing medical service in countries with no diplomatic bonds. Besides, we never have public fund-raising agenda, therefore, we constantly face difficulties of shortages of budgets.