Liver disease is a national disease in Taiwan. According to Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, every year 5000 people die from Hepatocellular carcinoma and 4000 people die from Cirrhosis. Among the top 10 causes of death in Taiwan released by Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chronic hepatitis, Cirrhosis, and Hepatocellular carcinoma are top-ranked. Hence, liver disease is one of the most common disease in Taiwan.
The best ways to effectively treat liver disease are early diagnosis, regular follow-ups and appropriate treatments; these are the best strategy to face the threat of hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and other liver diseases. Meanwhile, the research, public enlightenment and prevention of liver disease are local healthcare professionals’ responsibility and mission. With regard to this, Taiwan Liver Research Foundation takes this into account. The Foundation holds free liver disease screening irregularly in order to help people understand their own health status and enhance public’s valuation of timely treatment; the Foundation also actively conducts blood biochemical screening for people living at areas with poor medical resources. In addition, abdominal ultrasound tests are conducted in areas where the prevalence of chronic hepatitis is high, while health education on hepatitis prevention is supplemented.
In view of the liver disease in Taiwan, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital officially established the Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Medicine in 1985. The director Professor Wen-Yu Zhang has been actively engaged in the research of liver disease and expanding the work of liver disease prevention, as the pioneer of Gastroenterology in Taiwan.
Taiwan Liver Research Foundation was established by Professor Wen-Yu Zhang in 1999. In recent years, on the one hand, the Foundation has been committed to entering the society, serving the grassroots, and strengthening the awareness of prevention over treatment; on the other hand, the Foundation has assisted the Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Medicine of Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital to conduct more in-depth liver disease research.
Our mission is to encourage and promote the education, prevention, and research of liver disease:
- Educate patients and the public about the awareness, treatment, and prevention of liver diseases.
- Provide liver disease screening services, and proactively take care of grassroots and people in need.
- Encourage and train domestic researchers to engage in the prevention and research of liver disease.
- In order to improve overall medical level, provide a platform for the exchange of liver disease knowledge between primary medical and academic institutions.
