The 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), which officially began Monday morning in Geneva, Switzerland, held a plenary meeting in the afternoon to review Taiwan’s proposal for participation. Ultimately, the president of the assembly decided not to include the proposal on the WHA agenda. Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源) said he intends to send a letter to the WHO to protest their decision as soon as possible.
Chiu, who is leading a delegation in Geneva to participate in WHA-related activities, said he and other members of the WHO action team will continue to advocate for Taiwan’s participation in the WHA. He said the human right to health should not have political preconditions, and that Taiwan’s exclusion not only ignores the Taiwanese public’s right to health, but also creates gaps in global health security and epidemic prevention.
Although Taiwan’s effort to join the WHA this year was unsuccessful, Chiu noted that his team has made a number of important breakthroughs conducting bilateral talks with representatives from other countries. He noted that the frequency, breadth, and depth of these exchanges have exceeded those from previous trips.
Chiu pointed out that Taiwan’s medical and healthcare groups have long maintained good relations with other professional groups around the world, and that the government will continue to support these domestic organizations to increase their international influence. The WHO action team will also bring information about the issues discussed during the WHA back to Taiwan for further analysis so it can keep abreast of global conventions in healthcare.