Taipei, In response to the core spirit of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) theme "One World for Health," all 21 major healthcare associations in Taiwan gathered today to hold the joint press conference. The 21 major healthcare associations in Taiwan collectively called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to acknowledge Taiwan's contributions to global health and invite Taiwan to participate as an observer in this year's World Health Assembly.
The 78th WHA will be
convened in Geneva on May 19, and Taiwan has not received an invitation for
eight consecutive years. If Taiwan is not invited again this year, it will mark
its ninth consecutive absence. In the face of global challenges such as climate
change, emerging infectious disease threats, the burden of chronic diseases,
and an aging society, countries around the world must unite and cooperate with
transparent information sharing to effectively respond to crises. At this
critical moment, Taiwan's experience and capabilities should not be overlooked.
From Taiwan’s performance in COVID-19 prevention, medical technology, to
international humanitarian aid, Taiwan has continuously made substantial
contributions to global health, yet has long been excluded from the global
public health system, clearly contradicting WHO's universal value that
"health is a basic human right."
Nevertheless, the
international community's support for Taiwan has never been absent. According
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan, the new U.S. government has
facilitated statements of support for Taiwan's international participation in
the aftermath of G7 foreign ministers' meetings and U.S.-Japan-Korea foreign
ministers' discussions. Additionally, during the WHO Executive Committee
meeting held in February this year, the U.S. openly expressed its support for
Taiwan's participation in the WHO. Furthermore, the World Medical Association (WMA),
representing millions of physicians worldwide, has once again sent a letter to
WHO Secretary-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reiterating the necessity
of Taiwan's participation in the WHA and its related mechanisms.
"Health knows no
borders, and viruses have no nationality." Only through inclusiveness and
cooperation can we achieve WHO's goal of "One World for Health." The
21 professional healthcare associations participating in this press conference
represent over 500,000 healthcare professionals in Taiwan, and we unanimously
urge the international community and WHO to adhere to the principle of "no
one left behind," providing Taiwan the opportunity to contribute to global
health.
At the end of the
press conference, representatives of the 21 healthcare associations jointly
declared our commitment to actively participate in international affairs,
deepen global partnerships, and tirelessly promote the health and well-being of
all humankind.