2007 year Press Release
A medical relief team sent by Taiwan International Health Action (TaiwanIHA) arrived in Peru’s capital, Lima, at 2pm on August 18. The team, together with Mr. Huang Lien-sheng, the Representative of Oficina Economicay Cultural de Taipei, immediately left by Peruvian military plane for Pisco, the city hardest hit, and was the first such foreign team to arrive.TaiwanIHA medical relief team in Peru for humanitarian aid
The team had left Taiwan as planned despite the imminent arrival of typhoon Setpa, and was welcomed in Peru by the Minister of Health of Peru, Dr. Carlos Vallejos, after a grueling 20 hour flight. Mr. Huang Lien-sheng, the Representative of Oficina Economicay Cultural de Taipei, personally handed a US$100,000 donation from the Taiwanese government to Minister Vallejos, who thanked the people and government of Taiwan for their care and action in Peru’s time of need. Special mention was given to the bravery of the medical team in such adverse conditions.
The five-member medical team includes Chief of Medics, Dr. Chen Hou-Chaung (orthopedist at Taichung Hospital), Dr. Ker Cheng-Chin (Taipei Hospital), Ms. Shin Yi-Jen (registered nurse at Taipei Hospital), Ms. Lien Shu-Fen (public health specialist) and Mr. Lee Szu-Min, the chief of administration at TaiwanIHA.
Arriving at the disaster area, the team immediately began work with Juan de Dios de Ica hospital and departed for the village of San Clemente at dawn on August 19 to treat the injured.
The earthquake, which registered 8 on the Richter scale, and the numerous after-shocks caused 427 deaths. A further 829 people were injured and more than 10,000 people were made homeless. The following day, the Oficina Economica y Cultural de Taipei expressed to Peruvian President Alan Garcia its sympathy and willingness for Taiwan to provide humanitarian aid. TaiwanIHA then immediately activated its emergency procedures and sent the medical team, complete with medical supplies, to Peru.