The government is helping injured workers get back on the job by expanding access to rehabilitation services.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00From plumbing to electricity, Mr. Zhang is the go-to guy at his company.
00:04But two years ago, a car accident left him with many broken bones,
00:07and even simple tasks like getting dressed or climbing the stairs became too much for him.
00:12After only six months of rehabilitation in hospital, though, Mr. Zhang was back on the job.
00:31Stories like Mr. Zhang's are common, but unlike in Mr. Zhang's case,
00:34many accidents that leave people unable to work happen on the job site.
00:38In 2023, health ministry-run hospitals saw over 150,000 people seek treatment for workplace injuries.
00:45Expanding injured workers' access to care, no matter where they're injured,
00:49is the focus of a new government program.
01:01The government is expanding the number of its hospitals that offer occupational rehabilitation to 36.
01:08The goal is to make sure they can offer timely care to those who need it.
01:22But there are reasons for the move beyond a concern for workers' well-being.
01:26Taiwan's rapidly aging population means it could soon face serious labor shortages.
01:31For the government, that means it's all hands on deck to keep the country running into the coming decades.
01:37Howard Zhang and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.