Taipei: Taiwan is expanding its long-standing medical cooperation with Eswatini, with future efforts to focus on digital health and artificial intelligence applications, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang said Sunday. Shih made the remarks on the sidelines of a health forum in the city, as President Lai Ching-te continued a state visit to Eswatini, Taiwan’s sole African ally.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lai arrived in Eswatini on Saturday after an earlier planned visit was suspended due to revoked overflight permits. Shih mentioned that Taiwan’s medical mission in Eswatini has been operational for years, initially concentrating on clinical services and personnel training with support from Taipei Medical University (TMU).
In recent years, the cooperation has expanded to include the development of healthcare information systems akin to those used in Taiwan. These systems cover a range of services from outpatient registration to treatment and medication management. Shih further elaborated that the next phase will
focus on adopting Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), an international standard for medical records that could assist Eswatini in developing AI-assisted healthcare systems.
FHIR is recognized globally for structuring and sharing medical data across various healthcare systems, facilitating the efficient exchange of patient information across different platforms. According to TMU, its team in Eswatini presently consists of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and administrative staff who are involved in public health, clinical care, medical education, and the introduction of smart healthcare.
The mission has also played a role in establishing a national physician licensing system and offered support during the COVID-19 pandemic, including critical care training. Taiwanese medical teams have introduced specialized services not widely available locally, such as neurosurgery and orthopedic procedures.
Medical services in Eswatini now accommodate over 10,000 patient visits annually, significantly reducin
g the need for costly treatment abroad, including in South Africa, according to TMU.