Dr. Tu Chi-cheng (center), head of the Taiwan Medical Mission in the Kingdom of Eswatini, is shown performing life-saving brain surgery during a segment in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-comissioned short film “Sweetness of Friendship.” (MOFA)

A short film spotlighting the ways Taiwan Can Help realize the World Health Organization’s goal of Health For All was released May 2 in the run-up to the 75th World Health Assembly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Sweetness of Friendship” documents the good work of Dr. Tu Chi-cheng, head of the Taiwan Medical Mission in the Kingdom of Eswatini, and Mary, a traditional birth attendant trained by TMM in Malawi. It also demonstrates Taiwan’s capacity for providing life-saving treatment to those in need on the front lines of global health care.

According to the MOFA, the altruistic acts of Tu and the TMM team spotlight the passion and professionalism of Taiwan’s medical personnel. At the same time, the TMM-launched program for traditional birth attendants in Malawi is widely considered a success on the strength of its 81 graduates who contributed to significantly reducing the infant and maternal mortality rates in the African nation, the ministry said.

The WHA is the decision-making body of the WHO. This year’s edition, taking place May 22 to 28 in Geneva, involves delegations from all members of the U.N. specialized agency.

In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said: “One doctor & his #Taiwan medical mission are bettering lives in #Africa. Watch “Sweetness of Friendship” & see how our country’s commitment to caring for others transcends politics & warrants a #WHA75 invite. It's clear: #TaiwanCanHelp realize the @WHO’s goal of #HealthForAll.”

The short is screening on the MOFA’s Trending Taiwan YouTube channel, as well as affiliated social media platforms. Subtitled versions are to be available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese. (DL-E)