Inconvenient medical care and slow referrals for islanders

Owing to inconvenient transportation and a small, scattered population, medical institutions in Kinmen County are scarce. Moreover, the recruitment and retention of doctors is a challenge, with the overwhelming majority of medical staff leaving once their contract expires. This means that residents on the outlying islands who fall ill or require urgent medical treatment need to wait for a medical plane or take a passenger flight to the mainland for a referral.

Between March and May is the fog season in Kinmen. During this period, it is almost impossible to see the road while driving on the island, and planes and ships can't get out, so doctors are unable to come and provide assistance. Kinmen County Government has been understanding and sympathetic to the plight of Kinmen residents and set up a special help desk at Taipei Veterans General Hospital where a Kinmen County Government representative provides timely assistance to Kinmen people. But despite such measures, there is still a severe lack of medical resources on outlying islands, and a lot more needs to be done by the government to address the issue.

以下為中文對照

離島醫療不便 轉診後送需花時間

由於交通不便、人口較少且分散等原因，金門縣的醫療院所稀少。且醫師招募及留任不易，絕大部分服務滿期就離開，無法長駐，使得離島居民在生病或發生緊急事故時，無法即刻獲得治療，還需等候醫療專機或自行搭乘民航機飛往本島進行轉診。

每年三月底到五月初的「霧季」一到，在島上開車幾乎看不到前方，飛機和船隻出不去，支援的醫生更是到不了。金門縣政府為體恤罹病鄉親及親屬，於臺北榮民總醫院設置了金門鄉親服務台，由金門縣政府派駐專人為金門鄉親服務。但離島醫療資源缺乏的困境仍然存在，需要政府加強更便民的援助。

照片