In November 2023, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that threats to health are increasing. No country or institution can address the challenges alone. We need collective and coordinated action. The director-general’s statement underscores the importance of public health stakeholders worldwide, including Taiwan, working together to counter the next health emergency.
Taiwan has proven itself to be a valuable partner. It has supported WHO’s Triple Billion targets and health-related SDGs and contributed to the global fight against communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Therefore, Saint Lucia calls on the World Health Organization to include Taiwan in all technical meetings, activities, and mechanisms and invite Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer.
Taiwan has always been vigilant in its approach toward NCD prevention and management. It has successfully implemented a range of associated programs, including initiatives focusing on cancer prevention and screening, education and action on tobacco use, and metabolic syndrome diagnosis. For many years, Taiwan has also collaborated with its diplomatic allies and partners around the world to improve the capacity of local primary healthcare and medical services. Among other things, this has involved training physicians and medical workers, establishing and updating medical information systems, creating emergency response systems, and implementing projects that focus on NCD prevention. Taiwan has amply demonstrated that it is ready, willing, and able to work with WHO in strengthening the global network to combat NCDs.
Taiwan is fully committed to realizing UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages.
For many years, Taiwan has collaborated with its diplomatic allies and partners around the world to improve the health of women, pregnant women, and newborns. Its long-term projects 2 have strengthened medical information and care functions at medical institutions and facilitated the training of physicians and medical professionals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan’s advanced public health system, well-trained epidemic prevention personnel, and comprehensive, cutting-edge disease surveillance, investigation, and analysis system helped contain and slow the spread of the virus. The comprehensive response model established by Taiwan facilitates advance deployment and early response in the event of an epidemic.
Based on the lessons learned from combating COVID-19 and other communicable diseases, Taiwan recognizes the vital role of sharing genetic sequencing information. In order to implement effective pandemic preparedness and response measures, all stakeholders, including Taiwan, must participate in the global information-sharing network. With its advanced technology and healthcare expertise, Taiwan is eager and able to make a global contribution. We urge World Health Organization (WHO) to include Taiwan in all health emergency-related meetings and mechanisms.
Over seventy years, WHO has worked with the global community to address public health emergencies. However, in today’s ever-evolving landscape, we find ourselves confronting an increasing number of health threats. To effectively tackle these challenges, it is critically important that we foster inclusiveness and promote global cooperation. We urge World Health Assembly (WHA) to include Taiwan in all technical meetings, activities, and mechanisms, as well as invite Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer.