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Undocumented worker's risky birth exposes health care gap

2026/02/05 10:37

Ellie, a pseudonym for an undocumented Indonesian migrant worker in Taiwan, gave birth in October 2025 with a life threatening condition that required a large medical team to treat surgically and intensive care for both her and her newborn. The bill for the care totaled NT$1.7 million (US$53,886), far beyond what she and the NGO sheltering her could afford. After a fundraising drive publicized by her obstetrician helped with some of the cost, a donor stepped in to cover the balance. But the NGO warned that pregnancies among undocumented workers, who are not insured and generally avoid the health care system for fear of being deported, are becoming more common, which could put local hospitals and NGOs in a bind.

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