Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

According to 2019 international review, Taiwan is rated No. 3 for global Muslim travel index among non-Muslim countries. To extend international friendship, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital is certified as the Muslim friendly environment, the second medical center to be certified in 2020. On August 7, 2020, Dr. Lin Chihlon, CEO of Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Dr. Lin Shinnzong, Superintendent of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, and Dr. Liu Hwanwun, Deputy Director of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital International Medicine Center, lead the team in the certificate opening ceremony. VIP present at the ceremony are Ms. Wu Lingying, Manager from Office of International Cooperation at Ministry of Health and Welfare, and other Muslim guests.
Everyone is treated equally in medical care. Dr. Lin Shinnzong, Superintendent of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, indicated that being a Buddhist hospital, Tzu Chi Hospital respects staff, volunteers, patients and their faith. In Hualien, with aging population, many citizens are senior who require assistance from home attendants, mostly from foreign countries. For these foreign workers, they are far away from home and need a spiritual home. Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital wants to provide high quality medical care and at the same time, peace and support for body and mind to these foreign workers.

Over the years, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital trains many medical professionals for foreign hospitals and attracts many international patients to come for treatment. In 2018, international patients coming to Taiwan for treatment reached 347,000 visits and 381,000 visits in 2019, valuing at nearly 19 billion Taiwan dollars.

Ms. Yan Ti is from Indonesia. She has been in Taiwan for 12 years. She said, “We have been trying to find a worship place for a long time. I really thank Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.” She has been practicing Islam with her parents as far as she can remember. She worships five times a day, facing the direction of Mecca, the holy city. As she works far from home, worship time is talking to Allah openly in her mind. This is also a very important part of Muslim daily life. She said that she was not able to find a worship room when she worked in Taipei. To find a worship room and such a nice place in Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital was unexpected. They can now have a dedicated worship room for them to worship wholeheartedly.

Dr. Liu Hwanwun, Deputy Director of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital International Medicine Center, pointed out that there are many Muslims in Taiwan but it is not easy to find a proper worship place. Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital sets up two worship rooms with Quran and ceremony blankets to be Muslim friendly. There is also a Muslim friendly restroom. This is how Hualien Tzu Chi hospital receives Muslim friendly environment certificate from Chinese Muslim Association. Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital is the second medical center in Taiwan and the first hospital in the east coast of Taiwan to receive this certificate. With everyone’s dedication, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital aims to become more international friendly hospital.

Dr. Lin Chihlon, CEO of Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, said, “Patient focused medical care is beyond religion and ethnicity.” Tzu Chi medical care originates from charity mission. We hope to alleviate patient’s suffering in body and mind. Although Tzu Chi hospital is a Buddhist hospital but we treat all patients regardless of religion and ethnicity. A medical doctor upholds a simple belief to treat and alleviate suffering. Ms. Yan Jingxi, Deputy Director of Social Services at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, explained that the founding concept comes from Dharma Master Cheng Yen of Tzu Chi Foundation, which is gratitude, respect, and love. In addition to professional medical care, we provide warm support and sincere respect to everyone. May patients and their family can leave their suffering behind to find joy, peace, and health.