TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨), Taiwan's third major political force, on Tuesday (April 1) urged detention authorities to approve former chairman Ko Wen-je's (柯文哲) request for self-funded medical treatment outside the detention facility. The party's appeal comes amid growing concerns about uncertainties surrounding the detained politician's deteriorating health condition and questions about the adequacy of his current medical treatment while in custody.
Ko, a former physician who now faces corruption charges while remaining in pretrial detention, has been suffering from alarming symptoms suggesting possible kidney failure, including hematuria (blood in urine) and persistent nausea. According to media reports, the former Taipei mayor is scheduled to undergo surgery for hydronephrosis — a condition where the kidney swells due to urine buildup — and a ureteral stone at the Ministry of Health and Welfare Taipei Hospital (MOHW Taipei Hospital, 衛福部台北醫院) on Wednesday morning. His medical situation has raised questions about the intersection of detainee rights and healthcare access in Taiwan's justice system.
The Taiwan People's Party has expressed mounting concerns regarding Ko's medical care while in detention, stating that party officials and family members lack sufficient information about his precise medical condition and whether the treatment he is receiving is adequate for someone with his complex symptoms. In their public statement, party representatives reiterated their urgent request for Ko to receive comprehensive care from professional physicians of his choosing, despite repeated assurances from detention center officials that appropriate ongoing medical arrangements have been made for the former chairman. The dispute highlights tensions between institutional protocols and personalized healthcare needs for high-profile detainees.
In response to the growing public attention, MOHW Taipei Hospital issued a detailed statement clarifying Ko's recent medical treatment, revealing that he had previously undergone extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy—a non-invasive procedure using shock waves to break up kidney stones — on March 25. The hospital noted that medical staff had prescribed Tramadol, a potent pain medication, specifically for post-operative pain management, with explicit instructions for limited use to prevent dependency or side effects. According to standard detention protocols, the pain medication remains under strict detention center staff control at all times, preventing direct patient self-access to the regulated substance. The hospital concluded its statement by emphasizing strict adherence to professional medical standards in Ko's treatment regimen, seemingly attempting to address misunderstandings about the quality of care provided to the detained former chairman.
