Dr. Lien Jih-ching and a group headed by Dr. Tsai Kun-hsien, were awarded Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ medals in recognition of their malaria-fighting efforts in Republic of China (Taiwan) diplomatic ally Sao Tome and Principe by MOFA Minister David Tawei Lee Nov. 1 in Taipei City.
Lien, an expert in mosquito-borne diseases, and Tsai, an associate professor in the College of Public Health at National Taiwan University in Taipei, received the Grand Medal of Diplomacy and Friend of Foreign Service Medal, respectively.
Lien started fighting malaria in Sao Tome and Principe 16 years ago during one of his numerous visits. As a result of his commitment and the invaluable contributions of other health specialists from Taiwan—mainly from NTU—malaria incidence rates decreased from around 50 percent in 2003 to 1.01 percent last year in the West African island nation, with no malaria-related deaths reported since 2014.
During the presentation ceremony, Lee said he was impressed by the performance of Lien, as well as Tsai and his team, Taiwan Anti-Malaria Advisory Mission, while visiting Sao Tome and Principe last September for the inauguration of President Evaristo Carvalho.
They have carried out the most touching and worthwhile work among the array of activities undertaken by the nation’s overseas missions, Lee said, adding that their efforts gave a glimmer of hope to those at risk of the infectious disease.
Lien, 89, aka Mosquito Man, earned his doctorate in medical science from Nagasaki University in Japan. In 1965, Taiwan was the first country declared by the World Health Organization to be free of malaria, with Lien playing a major role in the success of the public health campaign leading up to this accomplishment. “I learned a lot from Taiwan’s decade of malaria control programs beginning in 1955,” he said at the ceremony.
Tsai thanked his team for its devotion to fighting malaria in a place far from home, a job he believes necessitates passing along Lien’s wealth of experience to younger generations. It is hoped that students and academics from NTU’s College of Public Health will participate in similar international disease control and health promotion projects in an even more active and practical way, Tsai said.
According to the MOFA, malaria control achievements in Sao Tome and Principe are the fruits of long-term cooperation between the ROC and the African country, as well as other international partners. Taiwan will continue combining public and private sector resources to further enhance its medical missions abroad and fulfill its responsibilities as a responsible member of the international community, the ministry said. (KTJ-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw