Taiwan gives new impetus to World Health

05/10/2011  Taiwan Today   Taiwan, located at the nexus of Northeast and Southeast Asia, is the 18th largest economy in the world replete with vitality and a robust humanitarian spirit. Since being invited to the World Health Assembly in 2009, it has abided by the principle that disease knows no borders, enthusiastically joining efforts to safeguard world health. Taiwan does so as a responsible member of the international community, giving new impetus to programs at keeping the global village healthy. Taiwan has been steadfast in its support of international humanitarian aid and healthcare activities over the years. The central government and people have actively taken part in various worldwide medical aid and health exchanges. For example, Taiwan International Health Action has toured the globe offering emergency rescue and relief in recent years to disaster-stricken countries such as Haiti. Taiwan has also shared its experience and knowledge through Taiwan Health Center branches located in the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands. As a member of the international community, Taiwan has accumulated a wealth of experience and enjoys advantages in the areas of national health insurance, medical technology and epidemic prevention and control. The U.N. World Health Organization chose "national health insurance" as the theme of its 2010 World Health Report, reflecting the global importance of setting up effective health insurance systems. Taiwan's national health insurance system has used relatively low premiums to cover outpatient and inpatient services since its implementation in 1995. With an insured rate of more than 95 percent, it has attained the objective of covering the entire populace and making access to medical care barrier free. It has also safeguarded the right of minority groups and the seriously ill and injured to medical treatment. As a key manufacturer of information and communication products for the world, Taiwan has a solid foundation for developing medical technology. It has developed world-class expertise in biochips, biomedical materials, biomedical informatics and medical and pharmaceutical engineering. This enables Taiwan to implement electronic medical record management and remote healthcare solutions, greatly boosting safety and treatment standards for patients while lowering costs. As the International Health Regulations of 2005 are implemented worldwide, Taiwan is now able to receive timely information on epidemics and food safety so it can help safeguard public health in the Asia-Pacific region. Taiwan is also playing its part in reporting information promptly and contributing resources and expertise to the establishment of a safety net for public health in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. Taiwan will continue investing resources in various international world health activities, as well as participating in and promoting these initiatives. It shall also encourage local scholars, medical professionals and nongovernmental organizations to forge closer links with academic associations and groups in their respective fields. In addition, Taiwan will work to promote the U.N. Millennium Development Goals for medical cooperation to deal with prevention and control issues pertaining to transnational contagious and non-contagious diseases. This commitment demonstrates Taiwan's soft power and the new impetus it brings to programs protecting human health worldwide.