Chen Shizhong introduces foreign media: Taiwan needs WHO, WHO needs Taiwan too | Policy | New shell Newtalk

Pneumonia in Wuhan, China is wreaking havoc worldwide. Taiwan’s epidemic prevention efforts and results are visible to the world, but only the World Health Organization is “invisible”. Our Health Minister Chen Shizhong voted The Diplomat, a topical international magazine in English, noting that since the SARS epidemic in 2003, the virus has no borders, Taiwan needs WHO and WHO needs Taiwan. Although Taiwan is not a member of the World Health Organization, however, we cannot fight alone. Taiwan hopes to share its experience in fighting epidemics with the world. No one should be left behind.

Chen Shizhong’s article “Global Health Security: A Call for Taiwan Inclusion” began with the Spanish flu in 1918, the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, and the H1N1 flu in 2009. Convenience, the pandemic It can quickly spread worldwide, and the new type of pneumonia that first appeared in Wuhan, China in late 2019 has caused major disasters worldwide, and Taiwan cannot be spared.

According to the article, Taiwan has been ready to face the threat of new infectious diseases at any time since SARS hit it severely in 2003. Since the first time on December 31, 2019, it conducted a direct flight from Wuhan Quarantine, the establishment of the Central Epidemiological Control Center (CECC) in 2020 to effectively integrate the resources of various ministries and commissions. As of April 20, a total of 55,476 people were evaluated in Taiwan, a total of 422 confirmed cases of COVID-19, of which 55 was a local case, 343 were transferred abroad and 24 were members of the Navy who they currently serve in the fleet.

Chen Shizhong noted that 6 of 422 confirmed diagnoses died and 203 were discharged. Although Taiwan is adjacent to China, it ranks 123 out of 183 countries in terms of the number of confirmed cases per million people. Active efforts to control the epidemic are working. “

“The disease knows no borders,” Chen Shizhong detailed how Taiwan can successfully control the spread of the epidemic through border control. At the same time, Taiwan has also enhanced its laboratory testing capabilities, expanding the scope of COVID-19 trend-based surveillance and inspection, identifying suspected cases and treating them in isolation rooms. The implementation of the real name mask system effectively allocates limited resources to meet the needs of healthcare, epidemic prevention, family and industry.

Chen Shizhong stated in the article that crises in various places can easily become a problem in several places. Global health security requires everyone’s effort. Although Taiwan is not a member of the World Health Organization, it cannot fight alone. Taiwan has fulfilled its responsibilities as a global citizen. In addition to reporting to WHO, it also communicates with Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Canada, countries such as Italy, France and the Netherlands reported and shared information on confirmed cases with the European Center for Control and Prevention of Diseases, and uploaded the COVID-19 gene sequence to the Globally Shared Influenza Data Initiative (GISAID).

If the mission of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to ensure that everyone can achieve the highest health standards, then, “The World Health Organization needs Taiwan, just as Taiwan needs the World Health Organization. Health”. Chen Shizhong said that, for political considerations, it is regrettable that Taiwan has been excluded from the World Health Organization. He called for Taiwan’s well-known public health expertise, health system, NHI and the ability to conduct rapid tests and research and production of vaccines and drugs against COVID-19 to be shared with the world. It is hoped that WHO can understand that infectious diseases know no borders, that no country should be excluded, and that WHO should not ignore any country’s contribution to global health security.

Therefore, Taiwan urges WHO and relevant parties to understand Taiwan’s long-term contribution to the international community in the areas of public health, disease prevention and the right to health, and to incorporate Taiwan into WHO. and its meetings, mechanisms and activities.

Although Taiwan is not a member of the World Health Organization, it cannot fight alone.