Under the direction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), the R.O.C. 24th Medical Contribution Award and Commendation Event was jointly held by the Health, Welfare and Environment Foundation (Legislative Yuan), United Daily News Group, Television Broadcasts Satellite (TVBS) and OmniHealth Group, Inc. Organized by the Health, Welfare and Environment Foundation, a press conference was held at 2:30 p.m. on October 31 in the MOHWs 201 Conference Room to introduce the award winners and their contributions. In the afternoon meetings were arranged with R.O.C. President Ma Ying-jeou and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng. 

This years nominations totaled 43 for individual medical contributions, 10 for the special contribution prize and 6 in the team contribution category. There were 9 individual contribution awards granted, with 1 special contribution and 1 group contribution award available. Winners in the individual contribution category were Drs. Lee Po-Huang, Pan Yung-Chien, Xu Zheng-Long, Yang San, Liao Chi-Yuan, Dai Tie-Xiong, Chaou Wun-Tsong, Xu Zai-Zhi and Shih Chun-Jen. Chen Chiung-hsueh received the special medical contribution award and the group contribution award was won by the Taiwan Healthcare Reform Foundation (THRF). 

Dr. Lee Po-Huang has 40 years of experience performing organ transplants. He has conducted over 500 kidney transplants and nearly 300 liver transplants. He performed the first ever simultaneous liver and kidney transplant in Taiwan, the lowest body weight liver transplant and the first liver transplant on a patient with high pulmonary hypertension. His work has raised the standard for organ transplants in Taiwan. 

Dr. Pan Yung-Chien works in remote areas looking after citizens health and giving volunteer clinics. His areas of activity in Taiwan include Changbin, Donghe, Taiyuan and Chenggong. He has also traveled to Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Hebei and Sichuan in China, etc., to participate in disaster relief. 

Dr. Xu Zheng-Long left behind a high-salary urban life to return to Hualien and gives his all in the service of remote communities. He has promoted mobile medicine and through great effort negotiated a mobile dental unit to serve the people of Hualien. He completed dental exams of elementary and junior high students in 13 Hualien townships. 

Dr. Yang San has taken urban skills out to remote communities. Ever since taking his oath at the end of medical school he has believed that saving people is a doctors highest duty—a course he has held to this day. Dr. Yangs work even inspired his son Yang Sheng-Gong to also abandon a highly paid practice in the city to accompany his father at St. Josephs Hospital. Together they form the first ever father-son team in the hospitals history. 

Dr. Liao Chi-Yuan has delivered more babies than any other obstetrician in Hualien. He also promoted integrated care for high-risk pregnancies and created a referral network. Known as "Dr. 7-Eleven," Dr. Liao can be found working or on call at the Mennonite Christian Hospital nearly 24 hours a day. He says that as long as his body allows, he will continue doing what has to be done. 

From his days as a bright young attending physician to the white haired senior doctor he is today, Dr. Dai Tie-Xiong has watched over the Hengchun Peninsula for 48 years. Even when he fell and broke his kneecap, he continued to see patients. They have always been his first priority along with service to patients who are less well off. At 81 years old he is still at his post. 

Dr. Chaou Wun-Tsong received his training at medical school and went to the United Kingdom and the United States to pursue further studies. Despite an impressive background, it was his desire to hide himself away in Puli Township of Nantou County and work as a general practitioner. His personal motto, "look at the needs of others and make them your own responsibility," has driven him to work hard in early intervention for children with developmental delay and to create the Child Development Center which works with children with special developmental and educational needs. 

Dr. Xu Zai-Zhi gave 60 years of service for the health of the people in the villages and hamlets surrounding Puxin Township, Changhua. Dr. Xu took patients any time of the day; he had only heard a patients call—even dinner could wait. He would set out immediately upon receiving a call, riding his scooter to remote village areas to care for patients with reduced mobility. Even during typhoons he would not hesitate to take up his medical kit, put on his rain gear and head out. As he says, "a patients pain cant wait." 

Professor Shih Chun-Jen established important foundations for the successful development of Taiwans medical system. His contributions include creation of a medical specialist system, amendment of the Physicians Act and formulation of the Medical Care Act, passing of the Human Organ Transplantation Act and promulgation of a standard for determining brain death in order to facilitate lawful organ donorship. 

The award for special contribution in medicine was granted to Professor Chen Chiung-hsueh for work in promotion of basic pharmaceutical training, bringing pharmacists into the community, promotion of community education in pharmaceutical use, encouraging rapprochement between pharmacists and the community, allowing pharmacists to show their expertise and improve their relationships with the community. Dr. Chen not only passed on her professional knowledge but also instilled a passion for service in her students. 

The award for group contribution in medicine was granted to the THRF. The foundation advocated for warnings and instructions on pharmacy bag, revealed the unnecessary abruptness of surgery release forms in 2003, requested changes to acquisition procedures for medical histories at all hospitals in 2004, conducted a nationwide survey of surgery release forms in 2005, exposed disarray in medical fees and invoices in 2006, advocated for a reasonable medical personnel labor act in 2007, and created the concept of "Sweat and Blood Hospitals"—institutions where staff are highly overworked. In recent years the THRF has focused on issues surrounding increasing insurance premiums, second generation national health insurance reform and establishment of international medicine . 

The recipients have given their money, time, expertise, technique and knowledge without reservation. Their contributions are admirable and praiseworthy. 

The award ceremony took place at 2:00 in the afternoon on November 1 in the first floor auditorium of the MOHW. We thank all of those who came to express their profound gratitude on behalf of the entire nation for the medical heroes who contribute tirelessly to our health and wellbeing.