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This year, Taiwan will again seek to gain membership
in the World Health Organization (WHO). At the very least, we ask to
be allowed to sit as observer in the World Health Assembly to be
held this month in Geneva.
We ask the support of the
Filipino people and the international community for our campaign,
because we are convinced this is a reasonable demand founded on the
principle of universality that the United Nations and the WHO claim
to uphold and defend.
Our stand is anchored on strong
foundations.
First, disease prevention
transcends national borders. We have seen how contagious diseases,
such as SARS and avian flu, have quickly spread across countries and
posed a threat to the lives of people. Taiwan now stands as the only
gap in the global public health network because of our exclusion
from WHO, denying 23 million Taiwanese the fundamental human right
to life and health. We believe there should be no gap in the global
disease prevention effort. The Taiwanese should have the same health
protection enjoyed by citizens of other nations.
The WHO Constitution states that
its objective “shall be the attainment by all people of the
highest possible level of health.” Therefore, health care should
be universal and cover all of humankind. Why exclude Taiwan from
coverage of this basic human right?
If the WHO cannot accept Taiwan
as a member at this time, we are willing to accept even an observer
status in the Assembly. This has ample precedent. East Germany was
invited by the Director General to become a WHO observer in 1972.
Six others—Palestine, the Holy See, Sovereign Military Order of
Malta, International Red Cross, International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Inter-Parliamentary
Union—have obtained the status either at the invitation of the
Director General or by resolutions adopted by the Assembly.
Taiwan is among the first
countries in Asia with a comprehensive national health insurance
system. We have eradicated such communicable diseases as malaria,
smallpox and polio. We have improved Taiwan’s overall medical
capabilities through advanced medical know-how. We ask to be given
the chance to effectively interact with international health
institutions and be able to fulfill our obligations as a responsible
member of the global village. We want to actively work with other
international health institutions and become involved in medical
cooperation and emergency humanitarian work.
Taiwan also needs to engage in
direct access to and communication with the WHO under the
International Health Regulation (IHR) framework. In September 2007,
China delayed notifying Taiwan of the information released by the
WHO concerning contaminated baby corn from Thailand for 10 days. In
December that same year, the WHO, in its IHR Authorized Port List,
erroneously categorized Taiwan’s designated ports under China,
with their relevant information also being erroneous. These
underscore the urgency of Taiwan’s direct participation in
implementing the Regulation, which the WHO claims, is of
“universal application.” If the IHR is universally applicable,
how come the WHO Secretariat has made no arrangement to include
Taiwan?
We are convinced that Taiwan’s
admission to the WHO is in the world’s best interests. Our
effective participation in the world’s disease prevention network
is imperative if the international community’s health interests
are to be adequately protected.
We strongly urge the WHO and
members of the international community to uphold the principle of
“health for all,” resist all forms of political interference in
health issues, and allow Taiwan to become actively involved in the
global public health system.
Wellington Wei
Director, Press Division
Taipei Economic and
Cultural Office
6891 Ayala Avenue, Makati City
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