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This time as ‘Taiwan’
EVERY year since 1997, Taiwan has
applied to re-enter the World Health Organization
because we believe the 23 million Taiwanese deserve to
become part of the global health network. But mainland
China has blocked our entry every time because of its
outmoded ‘One-China’ principle.
This year, once again we renew our bid to enter the WHO,
but with a new approach. While we will continue to seek
observer status in the World Health Assembly (WHA), the
decision-making body of the WHO, and ask for
“meaningful” participation in the WHO under the name
“Taiwan” instead of the “Republic of China”. This
three-pronged strategy, we believe, gives us a better
chance to enlist international support for our campaign
to enter the world health regulatory body.
The WHO Constitution clearly stipulates that “the
enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health
is one of the fundamental rights of every human being.”
This is the reason why it has granted membership or
observer status to even non-state entities, including
the Holy See and the International Committee of the Red
Cross. But Taiwan, a democratic nation with 23 million
people and home to the 16th largest economy in the
world, continues to be excluded from the WHO because of
politics, that is, the politics of exclusion practiced
by mainland China which considers us a renegade
province. Doesn’t this clearly contradict the founding
principles of the WHO?
Taiwan is a responsible member of the global village,
and we are ready and willing to share our health
resources with the international community. Our health
system has reached world-class standards, and we are
considered the second healthiest nation in the world.
And in the past decade, we have provided over 90
countries with more than US$300 million in medical aid
and humanitarian relief. Taiwan’s medical teams have
gone overseas to work with local health personnel to
provide efficient health care and protect the basic
health rights of local people in times of disaster and
medical emergency. In February last year, the Taiwan
International Health Association gave medical assistance
to the Philippines in the aftermath of a devastating
mudslide. The next month, we responded to an avian flu
outbreak in Burkina Faso. In May, a team of Taiwan
medical experts provided medicines and health care to
earthquake victims in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. All this
demonstrates our resolve to support the global effort to
accomplish the goals of the United Nations and the WHO
in assisting the disadvantaged and the underprivileged.
Health is an issue of global importance. It has become
increasingly clear that infectious diseases such as
avian flu respect neither politics nor national borders.
All nations therefore have a duty to participate in
international cooperation on matters of health.
Because of mainland China’s obstructionism, Taiwan is
unable to become part of the global disease prevention
network. This creates a big gap in the global health
system that puts global health security in grave peril.
To build a secure global health community, all countries
and areas must be integrated into the global health
system. We must discard political prejudices and engage
instead in dynamic professional health exchanges and
cooperation.
When the 2007 World Health Assembly convenes in May this
year, we ask the participants to adopt a humanitarian
standpoint and to consider the interests of the world at
large. We urge the international community to put an end
to Taiwan’s prolonged exclusion from the global disease
prevention and control network, and to give due
importance to the 23 million Taiwanese people’s
fundamental right to health. – WELLINGTON WEI, Taipei
Economic and Cultural Office,Makati City |
