"Wherever a need there will be met" Pingtung Christian Hospital (PTCH) and Luke International (LIN) work together to restore human’s health and dignity through building bridges between local and international development partners, creating interfaces between health and technology, advocating and serving where the greatest needs are.

Pingtung Christian Hospital has collaborated with others to uplift vulnerable communities in Malawi through people-centered, socially responsible development. The MEADOW program enhances access to quality education, promotes health services, and empowers local groups, creating a lasting social impact. It's supported by robust digital medical systems and joint capacity-building, with engagement in local institutions to ensure long-term sustainability. From empowering schools and churches to strengthening health data and research, this partnership demonstrates an innovative, integrated model for social and environmental responsibility—transforming lives through health equity, education, and community resilience in one of the world’s most underserved regions.

The MEADOW programme’s models—such as the digital health EMRS deployment, technical skills training center, and women’s empowerment through pig farming—have attracted attention from other NGOs, academic institutions, and donors. LIN has secured direct collaborations with UNICEF, EGPAF, and the World Diabetes Foundation, and its open-source systems and partnership approach are considered scalable for replication. Given its strong local ownership, inter-organizational collaboration, and alignment with national policy goals, the LIN–PTCH Malawi project is well-positioned for broader adoption. Its evidence-based, community-rooted, and value-driven approach makes it a compelling example of a sustainable and transferable global health solution.

LIN – (originaly named: Norsk Lukasmisjon) was established and registered in Norway according to the need of health care promotion program for Pingtung Christian Hospital (PTCH). LIN acted as a platform for PTCH to bridge up with the training institute in Norway. A house was bought in the suburb of Oslo (Lommedalen) for boarding and lodging of PTCH staff members who came to attend courses and programs to upgrade their capacities and competences in diaconal and holistic care. Over the next three years, LIN hosted more than 15 staff members from PTCH  attending the Diaconal Training Program at Diakonhjemmet Hospital and Diakonhjemmet University College in Oslo, Norway.

From 2001 to date, LIN has played a vital role in leading of the diaconal development for PTCH staff. LIN also has assisted PTCH in improving their capacity in relation to their overseas mission ministries in Burma, Kyrgyzstan and Laos.

In April 2008, PTCH expressed a wish to increase its international relations and competence with regard to international health issues and development work. Specifically, PTCH wished to continue supporting development work in Malawi that was first established by the PTCH-led medical mission in Mzuzu Central Hospital from 2002-2007. LIN agreed to cooperate with PTCH in reaching its objectives, and the two bodies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).  LIN agreed to cooperate with PTCH in reaching its objectives, and we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). PTCH and LIN developed a common VISION, VALUE BASE and STRATEGY DOCUMENT related to its overseas missions.

PTCH and LIN strive to build sustainability and long-term development through capacity building and education programs. We believe in nurturing and cultivating local capacity in computer sciences and health sciences, and at the same time building better international partnerships through global health talent development.

We serve as a bridge and linkage to different organizations and institutions, and facilitates inter-organization learning. For example, exchange training programs for software developers and hardware management staff between Taiwan and Malawi have resulted in a growing body of competent technical personnel for health information system development and support within Malawi. Furthermore, PTCH and LIN are working to build a series of eHealth courses that can be tailored and targeted at continuous education for health workers at all levels. We are also promoting research and global health training programs through maintaining a network of academic partners between universities in Taiwan, Europe, USA, South Africa and Malawi.

PTCH and LIN see the importance of having good quality health information to assist each levels of health system in the developing world to provide good quality health services. The fundamental approach for this development work is through strengthening health information system (HIS) using WHO/HMN framework and standards for country health information system and following the Integrated Health Information System Architecture (IHIA).

LIN has long-term partnership with the Pingtung Christian Hospital which provides committed technical support to the facility and patient level’s hospital information system development. In each HIS strengthening country mission, LIN believes in capacity building and empowerment to locals to create sustainability of the development work. We work with the health authorities, health facilities, development partners and the frontline health care workers to develop solutions following best practices. We believe in strengthening existing systems, and only develop new systems where gaps are identified. We believe togetherness is the key to success and we are doing

The LIN-PTCH partnership in Malawi was initiated to address systemic social, environmental, and health disparities identified through community consultations, health facility assessments, and national development plans. Key challenges included limited access to education, poor sanitation in schools, gender inequality, and under-resourced health systems. In response, LIN-PTCH set SMART goals that guide program implementation:

• Kuunia Project – Data for Action: The Kuunika Project is a 4-year program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and implemented through the Government of Malawi (GOM) and partners including LIN, Baobab Health Trust, I-TECH and Lighthouse Malawi since 2016. It aims to establish a strong base of high-quality, routinely-available data and an ingrained culture of data use among technicians and policy makers in the health sector, using HIV as a first use case. LIN is contributing its technical experts and experience of strengthening health information system through harmonization and integration disciplines.

• Health Information System Strengthening Program: LIN is the partner assigned by the Malawi government to assist hospitals in the northern region for Health Management Information System (HMIS) strengthening and development and works closely with the MoH on eHealth strategy development and relevant tasks since 2009. Follow LIN’s HIS development strategy, LIN partners with Baobab Health Trust (BHT) in the development of the hospital/facility based Electronic Medical Records System (EMRS),  that is being implemented country-wide to more than 85 hospitals with support from the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC). Adding value to the EMRS, LIN also partners with Pingtung Christian Hospital to integrate Computed Radiography (CR) function to the system and has implement it in the Rumphi and Mzuzu Central Hospital in Malawi through supports from the TaiwanICDF. LIN currently supports and maintains the electronic medical records systems for 17 hospitals and health facilities in the northern region and managing more than 70,000 HIV patient data (Q4,2016). Apart from hospital level’s information system strengthening, LIN also work closely with the Ministry of Health of Malawi to strengthen its HMIS through supporting implementation of DHIS2, developing disease surveillance system and provide onsite capacity building activities to the hospital personnel.

• Health and Information Education Programs: In order to have sustainability for health information systems (HIS) and other programs development, LIN cooperates with universities and training institutes in Malawi, United Kingdom, Norway, Taiwan and other international institutes to offer integrated education programs for computer science (CS) and health science (HS). LIN supports the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Mzuzu University with lecturers in Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Research Methodology. With the support from the Norwegian Churches Aid, LIN started the iCBP-him (integrated capacity building project for health information management) initiative since 2013 and provides cross-disciplinary training for health care workers and ICT professional by launching health information system courses at Mzuzu University and serving health care workers in the northern region.

• Community Empowerment Program: LIN is working with Churches to assist community based organizations (CBOs) and HIV patient supporting groups on economic development projects, HIV prevention campaign and youth development works in Malawi. All projects are implemented to fully empower people to take on responsibilities to activities with professional guidance and technical support. LIN partners with the Bjørgaas Social Welfare Foundation (BSWF) for fundraising and advocacy activities from Taiwan island.

• Research and Development: LIN is interested in implementation research and utilization of data collected in routine health management information systems (HMIS), to support decision making in health services delivery and public health programs. By collaborating with research institutes globally, including but not limited to Mzuzu University, University of Oslo, Imperial College of London, Lund University, University of Washington, University College Cork and National Taiwan University. LIN supports and cultivates local research capacity through conducting field-driven and field-relevant research studies. We have several research project running in Malawi and current large scale research project is EU funded Supporting LIFE project, which is a study designed to provide low-cost, effective, and targeted interventions in remote and resource-poor settings in order to overcome inadequate healthcare infrastructures in Malawi.

• Global Health Capacity Building: LIN serves as a host organization for global health education field placements or internships, receiving more than 20 students or volunteers annually. LIN provides linkages to local hospitals and organizations, and opportunities to participate in program activities or research projects, for medical and public health students. LIN has also hosted volunteers with expertise in computer science, photography, tennis and table tennis, according to the needs of different projects and programs. Since 2010 to date, LIN Malawi office have hosted more than 110 interns and volunteers from Kaohsiung Medical University, Mzuzu University, Nagasaki University, National Taiwan University, National Yang-Ming University, National Sun Yat-sen University, University of Livingstonia, University of Southern California. We believe the only way to achieve the just announced Global Development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals is to cultivate youth involving in this process, therefore we work as a bridging platform to link school knowledge to the actual filed works!

These targets addressed the urgent need for sustainable development interventions in Mzimba North. The strategy emphasized long-term empowerment through skills transfer and infrastructure enhancement, aiming for generational change in education, health, and economic resilience.

The listed development partners include: (from A to Z)

☑︎ Baobab Health Trust of Malawi
☑︎ Bjørgaas Social Welfare Foundation
☑︎ Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention of USA
☑︎ Imperial College London
☑︎ Institute for Informatics at University of Oslo
☑︎ International Cooperation and Development Fund of Taiwan (ICDF)
☑︎ International Organization of Migrants (IOM)
☑︎ Kaohsiung Medical University
☑︎ Luke International (LIN)
☑︎ Ministry of Health of Malawi
☑︎ Ministry of Health of Taiwan
☑︎ Mzuzu University of Malawi
☑︎ National Taiwan University
☑︎ National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
☑︎ SADC Secretariat
☑︎ UNICEF
☑︎ University of Livingstonia, Malawi