MOFA urges WHO to facilitate Taiwan’s full participation

2020/04/17

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs April 15 called on the World Health Organization to communicate directly with the government, facilitate Taiwan’s full participation in its activities, mechanisms and meetings and invite the country to take part in the upcoming World Health Assembly as an observer.
 
 Contrary to a statement made earlier in the year by Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, Taiwan has been prevented from obtaining timely and firsthand information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic or sharing its Taiwan Model for fighting the disease with other nations, the MOFA said.
 
 In addition, the WHO’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific has consistently refused to contact Taiwan and has never provided the country with any public health information, while the U.N. body has yet to invite local experts to take part in its laboratory network related to epidemic prevention, it added.
 
 These facts show that Taiwan’s absence from the WHO not only jeopardizes the right to health of its 23 million people but also prevents other countries from benefiting from Taiwan’s expertise and experience, the ministry said.
 
 The MOFA’s remarks followed a 13-point statement issued earlier the same day by the WHO in response to an advertisement published April 14 in the New York Times. Sponsored by nearly 27,000 people, the full-page ad highlighted how Taiwan Can Help combat coronavirus and called for its WHO participation.
 
 According to the MOFA, the WHO has been unable to uphold the principles of professionalism and neutrality in dealings with Taiwan due to pressure from China.
 
 While Taiwan is willing and able to help realize the WHO’s goal of Health For All, the country has not been invited to the WHA since 2017 due to political factors, with 70 percent of its applications to attend technical meetings between 2009 and 2019 rejected without explanation, the ministry said.
 
 The WHO needs to recognize that Taiwan is not governed by China and that it possesses an independent and comprehensive medical and public health system, the MOFA said, urging the world body to allow for the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including Taiwan.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)