Vice President Shan-Chwen Chang was awarded the Third Class Order of Brilliant Star

On August 17^th, Premier Chen Chien-jen, representing President Tsai Ing-wen, presented the "Third Class Order of Brilliant Star" to Vice President Shan-Chwen Chang of National Taiwan University. This honor acknowledges Vice President Chang's remarkable contributions during the SARS, H1N1, and COVID-19 epidemics. Not only did he actively participate in epidemic prevention planning and execution, assisting the government in effectively controlling the outbreaks, but he also provided crucial policy recommendations as an expert, ensuring societal stability and safeguarding the population from the threat of infectious diseases.

During his speech, Premier Chen emphasized that Vice President Chang, as a physician, educator, and epidemiological expert, performed exceptionally well in each of his roles. Chang provided compassionate and resilient care to patients, students, and citizens alike. Throughout the battles against significant epidemics that challenged Taiwan, he consistently engaged in the fight, contributing his expertise to epidemic prevention planning and execution. His important policy recommendations and efforts to stabilize public sentiment during epidemic periods earned him the well-deserved Third Class Order of Brilliant Star. Premier Chen conveyed, once again on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen and all citizens, the most sincere gratitude for Vice President Chang's enduring contributions and dedication to society and the nation.

In his words of appreciation, Vice President Chang stated that receiving this decoration is the greatest honor of his life. Expressing his gratitude for the nurturing environment of the nation and society, which allowed him to participate in various public-sector healthcare, hygiene, and epidemic-related work for many years, he not only gave back to the land of Taiwan and its people but also expressed thanks to his colleagues at the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, as well as his fellow educators and colleagues at the university. He also extended heartfelt appreciation to his family for their continuous support and understanding. He mentioned his wife, Dr. Fung-Rong Hu, who is also a busy physician, and how she always provided unwavering support during major epidemic situations, enabling him to fully dedicate himself to epidemic prevention work without worries. He shared this honor with his family and aspired to continue contributing to the nation and society to the best of his abilities in the future.