The World Health Organization (WHO) was established in 1948. The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the decision-making body of the WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda each year. The WHA determines the policies of the Organization, appoints the Director-General, supervises financial policies, and approves the program budget. The assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland in May.
Taiwan was member of the WHO for almost a quarter of a century after it was established in 1948. But that changed in 1971 when the United Nations admitted the People's Republic of China and Taiwan was forced out.
In 1997, Taiwan initiated a campaign to participate in the WHO. The bid was turned down for many years because of opposition from China. China sees Taiwan as a part of China, even though the two sides have been ruled separately for more than 60 years.
But beginning in 2009, the WHO allowed Taiwan participate in the WHA as an observer. That is widely seen to be as a result of warmer cross-strait ties after President Ma Ying-jeou was elected in 2008. Since 2009, Taiwan has also been included in the International Health Regulations (IHR). That is a framework under the WHO devised to control the spread of infectious diseases around the globe.
As an observer, Taiwan has been able to directly contact WHO authorities and get first-hand information about avian flu prevention.
Taiwan now participates in the WHA under the name Chinese Taipei, with Taiwan's health minister representing Taiwan.