Dr. Hou Sheng-Mou, Minister of Health
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare
Representatives from Hsin Chu General Hospital, Taichung Hospital and Taipei Hospital
Representatives from TaiwanIHA
Distinguished guests
Friends
Ladies and gentlemen
Good afternoon!
April 2, 2007 was supposed to be another perfect day for the people of Solomon Islands. But then very early on that day while people were still pondering over what to do and where to go, the tragic disaster hit – an earthquake, measured 8.1 in the Richter scale followed by giant waves. Few minutes later, there was total confusion in many parts of Western and Choisuel Provinces of Solomon Islands. The magnitude of the destruction, especially the lives lost and casualties was one that had never been experienced by the people, whose livelihoods directly depend on the sea and land for thousands of years.
In his national address to the Nation on the occasion of the National Day of Mourning on 29th April 2007, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare lamented and I quote, “The very sea that had always been a friend and a source of livelihood for more than 500, 000 Solomon Islanders turned against the People of Western and Choisuel Provinces in a most cruel way. It is the intimate relationship that we have with the sea since time immemorial that makes this experience very bitter for our people. It is like a friend turning against a friend” –end of quote.
However, lives must continue to be lived and move on. And while some people are still too traumatized to move back to their original homes, it is very encouraging that many have begun rebuilding their lives - thanks to the invaluable and timely assistance of the international community.
Distinguished guests,
Upon learning of the disaster on April 2, I immediately sensed that help would be on its way from Taiwan. Confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came almost immediately that same day that TaiwanIHA is mobilizing an emergency medical mission and that emergency financial assistance has been organized and on its way as well. For me, this is yet another shinning example of help from a true and compassionate friend – the Government and people of Taiwan. The Government and people of Solomon Islands profoundly appreciate Taiwan’s swift assistance in terms of medical personnel, medical equipments and supplies, and financial support that helped save thousands of lives.
We would like to recognize in a small and humble way, those who risk their lives or put the lives of others first in times of disasters, such as the one we experienced on April 2 in the Solomons.
This small but important occasion therefore is to honour and present awards to three Medical experts who left the comforts of their homes, families and working environment here in Taiwan to the earthquake and tsunami stricken areas in the Solomons. It is therefore my humble duty, on behalf of the Minister of Health and Medical Services of Solomon Islands, Hon. Clay Soalaoi Forau to present the awards to the three members of the TaiwanIHA Emergency Medical Mission to Solomon Islands from 5th to 16th April 2007 - Dr. Chen, Hou-chang (Team Leader), Dr. Tseng , Shu-chuan and Ms. Chou, Mei-chu. They are among the many heroes that saved thousands of lives in the Western and Choisuel Provinces of Solomon Islands during the aftermath of the April 2, earthquake and tsunami.
The three medical experts did outstanding work in the delivery of emergency medical supplies and in treating patients in makeshift clinics or hospitals. They not only easily fit in well into the hush environments in the disaster areas but also professionally work in close partnership and side-by-side with other international and national disaster emergency teams that were on the ground. Getting into the disaster areas from the capital Honiara had not been easy. I am sure the three experts must have had their own tales and experiences to tell and treasure – including a boat carrying Taiwan’s much needed medical supplies which ran aground on a reef a few hundred meters to its destination.
Distinguished guests, words alone could not express or reflect fully how grateful the Government and people of Solomon Islands are for the invaluable assistance we have been receiving from the Government and people of Taiwan, including TaiwanIHA.
During the last couple of years, we have witnessed increasing collaboration between the two countries in the area of health sector, particularly to improve and achieve effective delivery of health services to the majority of the people of Solomon Islands. We equally admire and value TaiwanIHA’s passionate outreach to share Taiwan’s health and medical experience with the rest of the world. While deadly diseases and natural disasters respect no borders, operations of TaiwIHA and other like-minded humanitarian and life-saving organizations should also transcend across national boundaries unrestricted to serve lives and fight deadly diseases.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare
Representatives from Hsin Chu General Hospital, Taichung Hospital and Taipei Hospital
Representatives from TaiwanIHA
Distinguished guests
Friends
Ladies and gentlemen
Good afternoon!
April 2, 2007 was supposed to be another perfect day for the people of Solomon Islands. But then very early on that day while people were still pondering over what to do and where to go, the tragic disaster hit – an earthquake, measured 8.1 in the Richter scale followed by giant waves. Few minutes later, there was total confusion in many parts of Western and Choisuel Provinces of Solomon Islands. The magnitude of the destruction, especially the lives lost and casualties was one that had never been experienced by the people, whose livelihoods directly depend on the sea and land for thousands of years.
In his national address to the Nation on the occasion of the National Day of Mourning on 29th April 2007, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon. Manasseh Sogavare lamented and I quote, “The very sea that had always been a friend and a source of livelihood for more than 500, 000 Solomon Islanders turned against the People of Western and Choisuel Provinces in a most cruel way. It is the intimate relationship that we have with the sea since time immemorial that makes this experience very bitter for our people. It is like a friend turning against a friend” –end of quote.
However, lives must continue to be lived and move on. And while some people are still too traumatized to move back to their original homes, it is very encouraging that many have begun rebuilding their lives - thanks to the invaluable and timely assistance of the international community.
Distinguished guests,
Upon learning of the disaster on April 2, I immediately sensed that help would be on its way from Taiwan. Confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came almost immediately that same day that TaiwanIHA is mobilizing an emergency medical mission and that emergency financial assistance has been organized and on its way as well. For me, this is yet another shinning example of help from a true and compassionate friend – the Government and people of Taiwan. The Government and people of Solomon Islands profoundly appreciate Taiwan’s swift assistance in terms of medical personnel, medical equipments and supplies, and financial support that helped save thousands of lives.
We would like to recognize in a small and humble way, those who risk their lives or put the lives of others first in times of disasters, such as the one we experienced on April 2 in the Solomons.
This small but important occasion therefore is to honour and present awards to three Medical experts who left the comforts of their homes, families and working environment here in Taiwan to the earthquake and tsunami stricken areas in the Solomons. It is therefore my humble duty, on behalf of the Minister of Health and Medical Services of Solomon Islands, Hon. Clay Soalaoi Forau to present the awards to the three members of the TaiwanIHA Emergency Medical Mission to Solomon Islands from 5th to 16th April 2007 - Dr. Chen, Hou-chang (Team Leader), Dr. Tseng , Shu-chuan and Ms. Chou, Mei-chu. They are among the many heroes that saved thousands of lives in the Western and Choisuel Provinces of Solomon Islands during the aftermath of the April 2, earthquake and tsunami.
The three medical experts did outstanding work in the delivery of emergency medical supplies and in treating patients in makeshift clinics or hospitals. They not only easily fit in well into the hush environments in the disaster areas but also professionally work in close partnership and side-by-side with other international and national disaster emergency teams that were on the ground. Getting into the disaster areas from the capital Honiara had not been easy. I am sure the three experts must have had their own tales and experiences to tell and treasure – including a boat carrying Taiwan’s much needed medical supplies which ran aground on a reef a few hundred meters to its destination.
Distinguished guests, words alone could not express or reflect fully how grateful the Government and people of Solomon Islands are for the invaluable assistance we have been receiving from the Government and people of Taiwan, including TaiwanIHA.
During the last couple of years, we have witnessed increasing collaboration between the two countries in the area of health sector, particularly to improve and achieve effective delivery of health services to the majority of the people of Solomon Islands. We equally admire and value TaiwanIHA’s passionate outreach to share Taiwan’s health and medical experience with the rest of the world. While deadly diseases and natural disasters respect no borders, operations of TaiwIHA and other like-minded humanitarian and life-saving organizations should also transcend across national boundaries unrestricted to serve lives and fight deadly diseases.
Thank you for your attention and attendance.