The film "Out of Africa" tells a story of leaving, while the Taiwan medical team is moving into Africa, exploring the largely unknown region of Somaliland. This medical diplomacy mission started from a memorandum of understanding, culminating in the dispatch of four team members across more than 8,000 kilometers. This journey is not just about medical aid; it's a "medical diplomacy" initiative intertwined with systems, culture, and international dynamics.

The journey's origins can be traced back to a medical cooperation agreement signed in 2021 between the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Republic of Somaliland, leading to the deployment of a permanent medical team from Taiwan to support the country's healthcare. The overall plan is based on a contract between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Taipei Medical University, which is then handed over to Wan Fang Hospital for planning and execution, focused on clinical medical services, capacity building for local healthcare personnel, community public health prevention, and patient referral services.

Dr. Su Ying-shih, the head of the medical team, was assigned by Wan Fang Hospital to assist in building and operating the local medical system. The funding for this mission is part of an official medical aid project, fully covered by the Taiwanese government. The deployed personnel include doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and technical support, aiming for long-term assistance rather than just short-term rescue, establishing a sustainable cooperation mechanism.

However, resources provided by Somaliland are quite limited. The local government had promised to provide housing and transportation, but these did not materialize as expected. Consequently, the medical team had to find accommodation on their own, with transportation assistance from Taiwan. Initially, the power and internet were extremely unstable, with only basic transportation support and introductions; most of the administrative and medical field connections had to be established gradually by the medical team themselves.

Dr. Su pointed out that the Taiwan medical team is currently the only actual stationed humanitarian aid team in Somaliland, unlike other international organizations or countries that donate resources but do not send personnel. Taiwan's long-term presence not only fills the gap in medical personnel but also allows the people of Somaliland to truly feel the warmth of the aid.

Since the United States withdrew from the World Health Organization, the distribution of international resources has shifted from multilateral institutions to bilateral cooperation, as seen in the U.S. directly supporting King’s College in the UK to implement local healthcare projects, reflecting the current transformation of international aid styles. Additionally, Dr. Su noted that multiple international organizations are actively involved, such as UNICEF and offices from Denmark and Europe, providing vaccines, public health supplies, or medical program assistance, contributing tangible support to the local healthcare foundation.

Dr. Su emphasized that the approach taken is not about "what we give and what they accept," but rather about "thinking together on how to improve things." For instance, he collaborates with local university professors to discuss curriculum reforms, designs new systems with hospitals, and assist in creating educational videos and operational training, as these efforts build trust.

The main missions of the Taiwan medical team in Somaliland include developing infection control and capacity-building strategies, revising clinical nursing processes, repairing and maintaining thirty physiological monitors, completing the installation of oxygen stations donated by the World Health Organization, and establishing maintenance procedures while training technicians in administrative, personnel, and financial management.

Dr. Su believes that Taiwan's medical system establishment is replicable, and the efforts of the Taiwan team have garnered attention from international organizations. Looking to the future, he asserts that this "medical + system building" model could be replicated, especially in areas of Africa and Southeast Asia with limited medical resources. He hopes to increase team size and training time, as well as collaborate with various fields such as engineering, information, and medical systems integration. He believes this cooperation and capability-building model can be applied not only in Somaliland but also in other resource-scarce regions.