KOROR, Palau — Housing for Palauan patients referred to Taiwan for medical treatment is currently adequate, Vice President and Minister of Health Raynold “Arnold” Oilouch said, following an offer from Shin Kong Hospital to provide four additional rooms.
The four rooms at the Shin Kong Hospital Training Center, combined with Palau’s two medical houses, are expected to meet current patient needs, Oilouch said. However, if demand increases, Shin Kong has offered to assist the Palau HealthCare Fund (HCF) with additional accommodations.
Palau’s national health insurance program funds and manages overseas medical referrals for treatments unavailable locally. Patients are primarily sent to facilities in the Philippines and Taiwan. Oilouch also announced that HCF has signed a memorandum of understanding with medical providers in India, expanding treatment options there.
In the Philippines and Taiwan, HCF provides housing for patients undergoing follow-up medical care. However, some patients have reported that accommodations are not always sufficient, forcing them to find and pay for their own lodging. Oilouch clarified that housing support is only available to those actively receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, President Surangel Whipps Jr. was in Hawaii last week attending the JCM meeting. While there, he reportedly explored options for purchasing a patient housing facility for Palauan patients referred to Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.
Palau had initially allocated nearly $3 million to renovate its existing medical house in Hawaii. However, preliminary assessments indicate that purchasing a new facility may be more cost-effective than renovation.