The Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) and Its Sustainability

國際慈濟人醫會的發展與永續

林俊龍

慈濟醫療志業執行長

Master Cheng-Yen founded Tzu Chi Foundation at the eastern coast of Taiwan in 1966, and started charity work on a small scale (Charity). She soon realized that behind poverty, there is often element of sickness, she then tried to provide free medical assistance (Medicine) which apparently was not sufficient to meet the need, she then decided to build a modern hospital. After the hospital was built, she has trouble finding sufficient, devoted doctors and nurses, therefore she founded the Nursing College, and Medical School (Education). She then realized the need to pass on the information to the public and society as a whole so she started monthly publications, radio programs and finally television station (Culture). This is how the four major missions of Tzuchi come into existence: Charity, Medicine, Education and Culture. Together with International Disaster Relief, Bone Marrow Donor’s Registry, Community Volunteers and Environmental Protection, they become the eight footprints of Tzuchi Foundation.

【慈善】1966年，證嚴上人在臺灣東岸創建了慈濟基金會，並在當地由小規模的慈善做起。【醫療】很快的，他發現在貧窮的背後總是參雜著病苦元素，因此上人試著提供義診，但義診並無法有效的提供所有的醫療需求，他因而決定建立一間醫院。【教育】醫院成立後，上人在尋找足夠且願意前來的醫護人員上遇到困難，因此創建了護專及醫學院。【人文】接著，他理解到要能夠完整的傳達訊息給社會大眾的，他創辦月刊|、製作廣播節目，及最後創辦電視台。這就是慈濟的四大志業如何一一發展出來: 慈善、醫療、教育和人文。再加上國際賑災、骨髓捐贈、社區志工及環境保護，這形成了慈濟的八大法印。

The first free clinic was established in 1972 in the city of Hualien to help those who needed medical care and were unable to afford it. A 250-bed modern hospital opened it’s doors in Hualien on August 17, 1986. A second hospital (Yuli) was established in 1999, and the third (Kuanshan) and fourth (Dalin) in the year 2000, the fifth (Taipei) in 2005 and the sixth (Taichung) in 2007 to complete the six-hospital chain around the island of Taiwan.

為了幫助需要醫療照顧卻無法負擔費用的人，1972年第一間義診所成立於花蓮市。1986年8月17日，一間兩百五十床的現代化醫院開始營業。第二間醫院(玉里)在1999成立，第三間(關山)和第四間(大林)在2000年，第五間(臺北)於2005年，而2007年的第六間(臺中)醫院的成立完成了環繞臺灣的醫療院所。

At the same time, the medical mission works as an extension of the charity mission, where ever the charity goes, medicine follows. A free medical clinic was established in 1993 at Alhambra, Los Angeles and free medical missions were carried out in the United States, the Philippines and so forth. To share the experiences and to coordinate the efforts, Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) was formally established in 1996 and the tradition of annual conference around the time of mid-autumn festival was started in 1998. TIMA now have members covering 21 countries and regions (at the end of 2013); with close to 10,000 dedicated doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other paramedics, assisted by close to 7,000 non-professional volunteers, a total of near 17,000 members. TIMA has evolved into a well-organized, global medical service network. Our members are vigilant and versatile in facilitating immediate rescue. Our motto is “Whatever the patient needs, we do it”. Up to the end of 2013, TIMA provided much needed free medical care in 48 countries and benefitted over 2 million people.

同時，醫療志業就如同慈善志業的延伸，慈善與醫療相依相隨。1993年在洛杉磯阿罕布拉成立的義診所代表慈濟醫療志業擴展到美國、菲律賓及其他國家地區。為了能夠分享醫療義診的經驗並整合力量，國際慈濟人醫會因而於1996年成立，兩年後於每年中秋節舉辦人醫年會。截至2013年底，TIMA會員分布於21個國家地區；人醫會有將近一萬位的醫生、護士、藥師及其他醫護人員，並由將近七千位非醫護專業志工的協助。TIMA總共有約一萬七千位成員。TIMA已嚴然發展為一個有組織的國際醫療服務網。在緊急救援上，我們有嚴謹及擁有不同專業的成員。我們的志言是「哪裡有需要，我們就去哪」。至2013年底，TIMA總共在四十八個國家地區提供醫療照護義診給超過兩百萬需要人次。

TIMA members subscribed to our founding principles of “To relieve with compassion, To give with joy” and realized that “There is more blessing in giving than in receiving”. There is truth to the old saying “when you walk, you leave footprints, when you see, it register in your memory, and when you participate, it brings you joy” most of our members tasted the joy and keep on coming back for some more. We do believe this is what makes our association sustainable. We invite everyone, professional and non-professional, to join TIMA and sample the joy for yourself.

TIMA會員皆認同創會時的主旨:「拔苦予樂」，他們也能體會「施比受更有福」的道理。有句古話說:「當你走時，你留下的腳印，當你看到，它存在你的記憶中，當你參與其中，它給你帶來的快樂。」大多我們的會員體會這種喜悅並持續參予其中。我們相信這是為什麼能讓我們的組織永續下去。我們邀約每位無論是專業醫療人員於否能一齊加入國際慈濟慈人醫會，並親自體會這個喜悅。