2023-4-21

The Taiwan Nurses Association (TWNA) and Paraguay Nurses Association (PNA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on March 8. Through the agreement, the parties hope to elevate nursing education, clinical practice, academic research, and other exchanges on a mutually beneficial basis. The MOU will help the associations grow and develop together and jointly contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.

The online signing ceremony was witnessed by Ambassador Han Chih-cheng of the R.O.C. (Taiwan) Embassy in Paraguay and Paraguayan Vice Minister of Health Víctor Hernán Martínez. TWNA President Chen Ching-min and PNA President Mirna Gallardo cosigned the MOU. Wu Chu-chun, deputy director general of the Department of NGO International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and Huang Lian-hua, 3rd vice president of the International Council of Nurses, expressed their support and congratulations in online remarks. 

Wu said the TWNA has over 100 years of history. As well as striving to develop professional nursing practice in Taiwan, for many years the TWNA has also been active on the international stage. The TWNA uses its influence to empower nurses in other countries. The ICN Leadership for Change program that the TWNA runs has trained many leaders from Saint Lucia, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Mexico—which have signed MOUs with the TWNA. The MOU with Paraguay will lay firmer foundations for the two countries to organize more exchanges on nursing education, professional training, and sharing of clinical practices. MOFA will continue to fully support NGO international expansion and participation.