Minister Chiang Been-Huang held, and presided at, the eighth meeting of the ad hoc group of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on the morning of July 6th. While continuously following up the status of the inventory of medical capacity, the supply and distribution of medications and medical supplies, risk assessments for the injured, case-based medical care, social welfare and relief services, the ad hoc group also explored and discussed matters such as personnel deployment, transferring the injured to other hospitals and subsidies for supporting medical personnel expense. 

1. The MOHW would like to thank the medical personnel involved for doing their best to provide emergency treatment and follow-up care for the injured. We will strictly supervise the medical personnel arrangements in hospitals and confirm their working hours. In addition to checking and paying the overtime pay due to the medical personnel according to the detailed situation provided by each hospital, we will continue to discuss the amount of working rewards and allowance that should be given out. 

2. As of July 2nd, the EOC had assisted in referring five victims to other hospitals and the Medical Expert Advisory Group had assisted with seven cases. In addition, the statistics for the number of calls to the MOHW Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion consultation hotline (8590-6199) are as follows: from July 2nd to 5pm July 5th, 83 calls for consultation (all cases were settled) were handled; their topics include: medical subsidies, overseas medical subsidies covered by the health insurance, overseas medical advice, nutrients subsidies, group lawsuits and consultation on victim’s condition. 

3. Import situation of cadaveric skin: 702,588cm2 of cadaver skin would be purchased during the first phase. The first and second batches have already been distributed to 13 hospitals, and part of the second batch is to be sent to five hospitals this afternoon (July 6th). As for the whole nation, 2,000,000cm2 of skin is needed. However, the cadaveric skin is not the only surgical dressing that we can use; other materials, such as artificial dermis and artificial dressing can be used as alternatives. Now we have 900,000cm2 of cadaveric skin and about 2,210,000cm2 of artificial skin/dermis , and we have confirmed with the suppliers that there is an ample supply. Also, we have contacted manufacturers to assess and produce large medicated gauzes. 

4. Statistics on medical treatment for the victims of the Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion 
(1) As of 10:00 am on July 6th, 432 people continued to be hospitalized. Of these, 291 were in the intensive care units, 235 were in critical condition and three have passed away. The hospitalized victims were admitted to 49 hospitals in 13 cities and counties, namely: Keelung City, Taipei City, New Taipei City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, Taichung City, and Kaohsiung City, Tainan City, Changhua County, Chiayi County, Chiayi City, Hualien County and Yilan County. 

(2) An analysis of the existing materials shows that the average percentage of burned area is about 49%; 253 victims sustained burns on over 40% of their body, and 32 of them sustained burns on over 80% of their body.