TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Sunday outlined government efforts to address staffing shortages in Taiwan’s healthcare system, particularly in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and intensive care units.
Cho said President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has instructed the Cabinet to implement measures to ease the burden on frontline healthcare workers, including reducing outpatient clinic workloads. He called on the public to support the changes and recognize the dedication of medical professionals, per CNA.
The premier’s remarks came after the health ministry approved changes to outpatient service requirements. Beginning in August, the minimum number of outpatient clinic days required each month for Western medicine primary care clinics will be reduced from 25 to 22.
The ministry also raised the number of daily patient visits eligible under the first-tier reimbursement category from 30 to 35.
According to a Cabinet press release, the measures are part of Lai’s “Healthy Taiwan” initiative, which aims to improve healthcare services while developing the medical and biotechnology sectors as another pillar of Taiwan’s national resilience.
Cho said the ministry also successfully implemented capacity optimization measures during the Lunar New Year holiday, easing the emergency room overcrowding that typically occurs during the annual vacation period.
He highlighted a five-year Healthy Taiwan Deep Cultivation Plan, which allocates NT$48.9 billion (US$1.53 billion) to improve working conditions for healthcare professionals and recruit more talent into the medical field, per the report.
Cho added that biotechnology and healthcare have been designated as two of Taiwan’s 13 strategic industries. To address the country’s declining birth rate, the government has also expanded subsidies for assisted reproductive technology.
Couples in which the woman is under 40 will be eligible for up to NT$150,000 in subsidies across three treatment cycles. The government hopes the medical community will help support families and reverse demographic decline, Cho said.
The premier also discussed proposed amendments to Articles 33 and 36 of the Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act, which would add saliva as an approved specimen for drug testing.
Cho said the government will continue expanding the testing capacity of medical institutions while increasing addiction treatment services to help people with substance use disorders recover and reintegrate into society.
