Onward 300KM to Pingtung’s Gaoshi Village

In order to provide free eye care to people in remote areas, a collaborative team from ORBIS Taiwan and Hualien’s Mennonite Christian Hospital made a 300km one-way trip to Gaoshi Village, which is located in the southern tip of Taiwan, in Mudan Township, Pingtung County. 

Ophthalmologist Xu Ming-mu (許明木) said that although children from indigenous villages tend not to suffer from nearsightedness, there are always a few special cases that require medical treatment. Unfortunately, due to the sheer remoteness of many indigenous villages, making the journey to medical centers is a daunting task for parents and students alike. As a direct consequence of long traveling distances, coupled with a lack of public transport in rural areas, the ‘Visual Screening Recheck Rate’ remains far from ideal. Nurse Zhang Ti-wei (張悌維), who is stationed at Gaoshi Elementary School, said she often drives the children to ‘Heng Ming Eye Clinic’ in the Hengchun Village, the nearest ophthalmology referral clinic available. In terms of the children’s eye care and correctional eye treatment, Zhang Ti-wei aspires to do more, but is often left with a feeling of powerlessness. 

Onward 300KM to Pingtung’s Gaoshi Village
URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/239105 

(以下是中文對照)
前進300KM屏東高士村

照片

高士村，位於台灣南端的屏東縣牡丹鄉，花蓮門諾醫院與奧比斯（ORBIS）防盲救盲基金會合作，讓東區視力保健計劃可以遠赴開跋到屏東南台灣進行免費的眼科義診，單程路途將近300公里。

眼科醫師許明木說，雖然原鄉學童的近視比例不是很高，但總會在這當中發現幾個特殊案例，需要及早進行處裡與治療，但因為偏鄉地區的距離對於家長以及同學來說，都是一種莫大的負擔，因此在「視篩複檢率」的部分一直都是非常的不理想的，由於山區也沒有公車可以抵達，學生要看複診看醫生也非常不容易。高士國小駐校護理師張悌維表示，她常常開車接送這些小朋友下山到恆春鎮的眼科診所複診，但是距離學校最近的恆春鎮，目前也只有一間「恆明眼科診所」，因此在學童的視力保健與治療矯正上，常常有一種「想幫卻幫不了」的力有未逮。