07/25/2011 Taiwan Today The National Geographic Channel is producing a documentary on Taiwan's medical achievements, the Department of Health said July 22. It is the first time that an international broadcaster has undertaken such a task, the DOH said. "About Asia: Taiwan's Medical Miracles" will be a joint effort between the DOH and the TV channel, and will showcase the nation's highly admired health care system, according DOH Minister Chiu Wen-ta. "Our success with the National Health Insurance system and our top-notch medical services are both known worldwide," Chiu said. The documentary could help boost the medical tourism industry in Taiwan, according to Chiu. The 60-minute film highlights four medical cases, including a 3-year-old Malaysian girl seeking help on thalassemia, as well as liver transplant and artificial reproduction surgeries carried out by Taiwanese medical teams, the NGC said in a news release. "The best thing about Taiwan's medical care is that it's seen as a service industry, in which every patient is treated with the highest respect and love," said the film's director Shih Tzu-de."The documentary is a great story about medicine, love, life and things we all care a great deal about," said Ward Platt, president of National Geographic Channels, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. According to Platt, the program will be ready to air in spring 2012, and will be seen by an estimated 200 million households across 30 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. (HZW)