Taiwan Needs WHO’s Help to Care for the Health of Her People

Created by the Government Information Office in Taiwan:

Although the WHO Charter stipulates that "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, political belief, economic and social condition", the 23 million people in Taiwan are deprived of this right. Taiwan needs the help of the WHO to attain the goal of health for all. Taiwan is eager to share its experiences with others through the international healthcare body. For not being a member, not an observer, of the World Health Organization, Taiwan has been kept out of international healthcare affairs. Here are some cases in point.

1. Promotion of Family Planning? The US Population Crisis Committee has twice rated Taiwan’s family planning program in 1987 and 1992 the best of all programs in the developing countries. Meanwhile, Taiwan has been making training opportunities available to professionals of developing countries, such as Vietnam, to share Taiwan’s experience in the management of family planning and population programs. However, for not being a member of the WHO, Taiwan is not able to participate in the World Fertility Survey, the Demographic Health Survey, and other surveys on aging, because Taiwan was excluded.

2. Implementation of National Health Insurance? On 21 June 2000, the World Health Organization in the World Health Report 2000 rated with five criteria, - level of health, distribution of health, level of responsiveness, distribution of responsiveness, and fairness of financial contribution - the healthcare status of its 191 member states. Taiwan began the National Health Insurance program in March 1995. The coverage rate has increased to the current 97% of the total population. But in this rating, Taiwan was excluded.

3. Eradication of Poliomyelitis? The global eradication of poliomyelitis was the goal for the year 2000. Although Taiwan has successfully eradicated polio, the success was not recognized by the WHO/WPRO, not was Taiwan invited to a meeting in October 2000 in Kyoto to announce the regional eradication. The Department of Health wrote to Dr. Gro Harlem Bruntland of the WHO, Dr. Shigeru Omi of the WHO/WPRO, and Dr. Anthony Adams, Chairman of the WHO/WPRO Polio Eradication Committee, only to have received a sympathetic reply from Dr. Adams. Thus, Taiwan was excluded.

4. Prevention and Control of Drug Abuse? By the Single Convention on Drugs of the United Nations, countries have duties to report the flow and quantity of controlled drugs. Taiwan, for not being a member of the WHO, can not have the accurate information of the controlled drugs illegally smuggled in, because Taiwan was excluded.

5. Separation of Prescription and Dispensation? Taiwan implemented the separation of prescription and dispensation in March 1997. The law for such separation was enacted as early as 1993, followed, in the four years, by programs in preparations, the public education and professional coordination. Taiwan would be delighted to share this experience which the Asian Wall Street Journal praised as a “textbook example” with others, but Taiwan was excluded.

6. Surveillance and Reporting System for Adverse Drug Reactions? In 1997, Taiwan set up a surveillance and reporting system for adverse drug reactions. The Department of Health visited the WHO drug adverse reaction surveillance institution in Sweden to learn whether Taiwan might be able to participate. In May 2000, Taiwan applied for its membership and in May 20 copies of the resulting reports were sent to Sweden for review. In August 2000, the WHO replied that by the resolution of WHA25.1 of the United Nations, Taiwan was not eligible to this Plan. Again, Taiwan was excluded.

7. Control of Food Safety? Taiwan is applying to be included in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. By this agreement, members should join the Codex Alimentaries Commission of the WHO and UN, for which Codex standards have been made by WHO international standards of food safety. Taiwan is denied of participation in the related meetings in spite of the fact that it has always complied with the Codex standards. Yet, Taiwan was excluded.

8. Anti-tobacco Activity? The US 301 Act forced Asia Pacific countries to open up markets for imported tobacco. In 1989, Dr. Yen, a world renowned anti-tobacco activist, organized the Asia Pacific Association for the Control of Tobacco. Dr. Yen, with the support of APACT, persuaded the U.S. Congress to look into the tobacco dumping in Thailand, with the Thai government's autonomy on tobacco import and advertisement as a result. Yet Dr. Yen was unable to receive the Commander of the Third Class of Our Most Admirable Order of Direkgunabhorn from the king of Thailand at the WHO meeting. Again, Taiwan was excluded.

Health has no limits and disease knows no lines, that is why disease control requires global cooperation and total participation. We always abide by the principles of the WHO chapters, and we extend our helping hands over the boundaries to succor the poor and the wretched. We hope we can do good deeds throughout the world with no hindrance, no limits, no discriminations. We hope we can be a part of the international healthcare community to learn, to benefit, and to contribute. But we need your acceptance because we dare to care.