TAIWAN TO PROMOTE GLOBALIZATION OF MEDICAL SERVICES.

TAIPEI, June 1 Asia Pulse - The government will set up a special project office in July to promote globalization of the local medical service sector, a senior official said Thursday.

The decision was reached at a meeting of the Executive Yuan's finance and economics task force held a day earlier, the official said, adding that the special project office will be jointly managed by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD).

In the initial stage, the official said, the office will focus on promoting globalization of several medical areas in which Taiwan enjoys a competitive edge, such as liver transplant, craniofacial surgery, cardiovascular surgery, artificial insemination and joint replacement surgery.

During the first three years from 2007 through 2009, the official said, the special project office will assist 10 selected hospitals to provide medical and health-care services to patients from abroad.

According to a CEPD estimate, the medical service globalization project will create NT$7 billion (US$212 million) worth of business, inspire an additional NT$6.8 billion in private investment, and create 1,500 jobs over three years.

Speaking at Wednesday's special task force meeting, CEPD Chairwoman Ho Mei-yueh said that by 2015, the medical service globalization project will generate about NT$50 billion (US$1.5 billion) in business annually, accounting for 0.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), and provide medical services to 800,000 foreign patients per year.

Intangible benefits will include upgrading the country's international image, facilitating medical diplomacy with such countries as Vietnam and Mongolia, as well as stimulating development in relevant industries and services, Ho said.