The First Medical Outreach

Background

September 1972

Tzu Chi Merit Association established a free medical clinic for the poor.

Related Information

November, 1972

Tzu Chi Monthly Issue 73

Master Cheng Yen led commissioners to several cities and towns for the annual care visits of impoverished households. What made this year’s visit so remarkable was that the team also provided free medical services in addition to personally visiting the families. The people who ran the free clinic were Dr. Huang Boshi and Dr. Zhang Chengwen from Provincial Hualien Hospital, alongside nurses Lin Biqi, Wu Sulian, Deng Shuqing, and others. Mr. Zhang Xichi from the Health Bureau also came to support. They were all very passionate and sincere about treating the poor and the ill.

The free clinic schedule is as follows:

On the twelfth:

Yuli Buddhist Society,
Guangfu Township Residents’ Community Center,
Fenglin Township Residents’ Community Center,
Shoufeng Township Residents’ Community Center.

On the thirteenth:

Ji’an Township Residents’ Community Center,
Ren’ai Street Lay Buddhist Practitioner Association,
Xincheng Township Residents’ Community Center.

If there is a large number of cases requiring medical services, the organization will consider extending the free clinic another day.

December, 1972

Tzu Chi Monthly Issue 74

The Hualien Tzu Chi Merit Association’s annual care visits to impoverished households took place on November 12 and November 13. Master Cheng Yen led commissioners to different cities and towns to carry out these care visits. Master and the commissioners inquired about each individual’s living conditions and brought gifts of towels, soap, and sachima pastries. They also organized free medical services and medication. Doctors and nurses from Provincial Hualien Hospital came forward with great passion and sincerity, volunteering their help and services. People everywhere have praised the doctors and nurses from Provincial Hualien Hospital for their extraordinary spirit.

(…omitted…)

Doctors and nurses responsible for the free clinic not only provided their services to the patients at the twice-weekly free clinic in the city, but they also traveled to the countryside to treat those in rural areas. They always remained undaunted by hard work and exhaustion. This admirable spirit of serving the community left a lifelong impact on those who received their help and garnered praise from society.

Among those treated at the medical outreach, most patients had heart diseases, asthma, neurasthenia, or other chronic illnesses. After taking their prescribed medications, they found the medicine very useful and sent letters asking if there would be a continued supply. We have fulfilled their request accordingly. For the sake of the patients’ quick recovery, we are happy to do our utmost to support them.

August, 1973

Tzu Chi Monthly Issue 82

On July 29, 1973, the second medical outreach in Taitung was held at the home of Director Zheng of the Guanshan Forestry Bureau, where 222 patients received treatment. Thirty-nine-year-old Beinan Township resident Jiang Yansheng was hit by a motorbike on January 15 and was seriously injured. No longer able to walk, he could not travel to the medical outreach site for treatment. So, accompanied by Master Cheng Yen and Director Zheng, Dr. Zhang Youchuan and Dr. Cao Wei made a housecall to treat him. Thirty-seven-year-old Chenggong Street resident Lai Shunbin was also unable to travel due to atrophied muscles in his legs, so Dr. Zhang and Dr. Cao also went to his home to see him.

Teachings

1972