Taiwan’s first children’s hospital opened to the public Monday.
The hospital affiliated with National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) is aimed at developing comprehensive medical child care and doing research on children’s diseases.
The hospital has more than 40 outpatient clinics, including early child care, dental care for the physically and mentally challenged, and children’s nutrition.
But it is expected that funding will be a big challenge due to the dwindling birth rate and the cuts to health coverage. Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Tzou-yien Lin spoke on Monday about the government’s plan to find enough resources.
“[Health insurance] coverage is indeed a problem," said Tzou. "First, the NTUH itself needs financial support. Second, while the NTUH does not subsidize the children’s hospital, medical child care in the six areas we are working on now will be subsidized. They include children’s cancer, children’s cardiovascular disorders, hereditary diseases, children’s surgery, newborn intensive care, and children’s intensive care.
The children’s hospital has more than 290 beds with nearly half of them for intensive care.