Taiwanese nurse serves in Marshall Islands, gets friendship in return
台籍護士於馬紹爾群島服務獲得友誼回饋
| Hsu Yun-tin toured local communities to conduct medical tests and promote healthy dietary concepts
MAJURO (Taiwan News) — The Marshall Islands once had the world’s attention when it was designated as a nuclear bomb testing site for the US after the Second World War. Now more than 50 years later the islands are a Pacific state that most people know little about. Located 1,800 kilometers from the east coast of Australia, the Marshall Islands consists of dozens of atolls and thousands of islands and islets with a small population of about 70,000. One-third of the people reside in the capital, Majuro. Despite gaining independence in 1986, the development of the Marshall Islands has remained slow. The medical resources of the country rely heavily on international and regional organizations, such as medical and volunteer groups from Japan and Taiwan. The Taiwan Health Center in Majuro has been in operation for 10 years. Since Shuang Ho Hospital (雙和醫院) assumed management of the center in 2013, it has regularly sent professional doctors and registered nurses to Majuro to provide medical services for Marshallese people and to help train local talent. Hsu Yun-tin (徐韻婷) is one of the registered nurses dispatched to Majuro. Over the past two years, Hsu has carried out disease screening tests in the capital. She has even toured around local communities to promote dietary and health-related concepts. Asked how she made up her mind to move to a place where she barely knew, Hsu said she considered it an as opportunity. "If I didn't seize the chance, there would be no such opportunity for the rest of my life. That's why I decided to come," Hsu said during an interview conducted in Majuro. However, Hsu confessed her family was nerve-wracked about her decision. Since there was little information about the country on the internet even just a few years back, Hsu said her parents had all sorts of crazy imaginings about it. It was not until Hsu had come to live in Majuro that she discovered how friendly and good-natured the Marshallese people are. Hsu noted that Marshallese patients are quite different from Taiwanese people in many ways. For example, when it comes to minor diseases or ailments, such as stomachache, cold, and small wounds, Marshallese people always use noni as treatments. Hsu mentioned that a patient once used mashed noni to cover a wound on his hand. When he visited the health center some time later, the inflammation of the hand had deteriorated. "But you cannot tell them they are wrong. Sometimes these home-made treatments do seem to be effective," said Hsu in an understanding tone. Noni is the fruit of Morinda citrifolia, which can often be found in southeast Asia and on the Pacific islands.（Photo courtesy of Pixabay） "Before Marshallese people go to a hospital or come to the health center, they usually resort to this kind of home-made folk medicine. I believe some people in Taiwan do the same thing, " added Hsu. Apart from being used as a treatment, noni is widely used in Marshallese society, with juices and soaps being made from noni. In addition, unlike Taiwanese people who would hurriedly see a doctor when having mild symptoms, Hsu said Marshallese people need incentives to go to the health center. "Marshallese people enjoy the sense of connection. You have to let them feel you really care about them so that they will seek help from you," said Hsu, adding that over the years she has made a lot of friends in Majuro as a result. However, being the only registered nurse in the health center means that her responsibilities go beyond providing medical services. Hsu said during the past two years, she has not only worked with many doctors but has also been involved with the foreign affairs between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands. "Fortunately, the local hospital and Taiwan's embassy have been very helpful," said Hsu in gratitude, adding that all the experiences were unforgettable. Hsu will be released from her duty at the health center in February, 2019. Even though she was originally assigned to the Marshall Island purely by chance, Hsu said she felt very lucky to have come here. The Marshall Islands (Taiwan News) Note: According to the information from Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the population of the Marshall islands in 2015 was 72,191. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States conducted more than 20 bomb tests, including atomic and hydrogen bombs, in Bikini Atoll of the Marshall Islands. 1946 was also the year when the bikini swimsuit was invented by engineer Louis Reard. Owing to the social impact his swimsuit brought to the society in the late 40s, which he believed could be compared to the bomb tests, Reard decided to name the swimsuit after Bikini Atoll. |
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| Teng Pei-ju, Taiwan News, Staff Reporter | |
| 2017-11-21 |
