Taipei [Taiwan], April 26 : Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) has defended its medical tourism program following an investigation into a dental clinic suspected of assisting 600 Chinese nationals in illegally entering the country, according to a report by Focus Taiwan.
During a legislative meeting on Thursday, Kuo Wei-chung from the MOHW's Department of Medical Affairs informed lawmakers that out of the 129 institutions that have applied for medical tourism-related visas and entry permits, only three including the clinic under scrutinyhave been found to have irregularities.
Kuo further said that the programme currently permits only 28 specific medical conditions, such as advanced kidney disease and lymphatic disorders, to qualify for medical tourism.
He also mentioned that the MOHW, in coordination with the National Immigration Agency, has revised the programme's guidelines so that only individuals with severe and urgent dental issues can apply for treatment in Taiwan.
On Wednesday, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office questioned 10 people linked to allegations of facilitating the illegal entry of Chinese nationals into Taiwan during the Covid-19 pandemic.
One of those questioned, a Taipei dental clinic owner surnamed Pan, is accused of submitting falsified treatment plans to help 600 Chinese nationals register as medical visitors between December 2022 and May 2023, Focus Taiwan reported.
Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan stated that Pan's clinic was suspended from the medical tourism program on May 17, 2023, and remains banned.
When asked why it had taken nearly two years since authorities placed administrative penalties on Pan's clinic for suspects to be brought in for questioning, prosecutors told CNA that they had only recently collected enough evidence.
Later on Thursday, Liang Wen-chieh, deputy chief and spokesperson of the Mainland Affairs Council, said the current rules for allowing Chinese nationals into Taiwan and the permit review system remain stable. He said irregularities can be identified when an unusually high number of applications are submitted by a single clinic, citing Pan's case as an example, which was spotted during the review process, Focus Taiwan reported.
The medical tourism initiative, launched in 2007, aims to attract international patients seeking healthcare services in Taiwan.
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