Shih-chung Chen: Taiwan has been one of the few success stories throughout this pandemic
The country deserves to be admitted as a WHO member so it can help protect against future outbreaks
Authorities used this information to enact enhanced-monitoring protocols on Dec. 31, 2019, and have tirelessly implemented public health containment measures since Taiwan’s first case was detected on Jan. 21, 2020. As of May 21, there have been 2,825 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths, in Taiwan — less than some territories have experienced in a single day.
After dealing with SARS, Taiwan established a nationwide infectious disease health-care network that is led and overseen by infectious disease experts across six regions. More than 100 secondary response hospitals are included in the network and all 22 special municipalities, counties and cities have designated their primary response hospitals. The network also provides the legal authority for transferring patients with highly contagious diseases to designated facilities based on public health and clinical need.
This has proven instrumental in protecting health systems and health professionals from being overwhelmed, and allowed most non-COVID-19 health services to continue to operate without disruption during the pandemic. To date, there have been only two hospital-associated COVID-19 outbreaks in Taiwan. Both were well managed, resulting a total of 11 cases and zero death of health professionals.
By introducing public health control measures early and effectively, Taiwan has also mitigated the economic impact of COVID-19. To maintain essential international, social, economic and trade activities, Taiwan implemented flexible adjustments for related quarantine measures for vessels and aircraft, so that fisheries, offshore wind farms and air transport industries could continue operating.
In stark contrast with the global economic contraction, Taiwan’s GDP growth for 2020 was approximately 3.11 per cent, with even higher growth of 4.94 per cent in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, public trust and co-operation with the government’s response have been key to successfully containing COVID-19.
In formulating disease control regulations, the government has adhered to the principles of reasonable response, minimum damage and gradual adoption. It has worked hard to maintain the balance between people’s right to know and personal privacy and freedom, actively responding to people’s wishes by upholding the principle of fairness, while prioritizing the protection of disadvantaged groups, including migrant workers. At no point has Taiwan restricted people’s right to free expression, assembly or participation in public life.
Although COVID-19 has hit all countries hard, its impact has been harshest among already vulnerable and high-risk communities, as well as those lacking quality health-care services and those that are unable to handle the adverse consequences of anti-pandemic containment measures.
As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will do its utmost to work with the World Health Organization (WHO) and global health leaders to ensure that all people enjoy living and working conditions that are conducive to good health. We will also monitor health inequities to advocate more effectively for universal access to quality health services.
Thanks to its robust health system, rigorous testing strategies, information transparency and public-private partnerships, Taiwan’s response to COVID-19 has been one of the world’s success stories. This pandemic has proven yet again that Taiwan cannot remain outside of the global health network.
Taiwan plays an indispensable role in the global monitoring and early warning systems that detect the threat of emerging infectious diseases, and the “Taiwan Model” has proven consistently capable of containing COVID-19. The pandemic has also highlighted Taiwan’s capacity to research, develop, produce and supply therapies and associated tools quickly (including two COVID-19 vaccines that are presently in Phase 2 trials).
The threat that emerging infectious diseases pose to global health and the economy never ceases. As we have seen over the past year, pandemics can spread rapidly around the world. Being able to comprehensively participate in, and contribute to, international supply chain systems, as well as global diagnostics, vaccine and therapeutics platforms, would allow Taiwan to work with the rest of the world to contain and manage future outbreaks.
I urge the WHO and related parties to acknowledge Taiwan’s longstanding contributions to the international community in the areas of public health, disease prevention and the human right to health, and to include Taiwan in the WHO. Taiwan will continue to work with the rest of the world to ensure that everyone enjoys the fundamental human right to health, as stipulated in the WHO constitution. Echoing the mantra of the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, no one should be left behind.
National Post
Dr. Shih-chung Chen is the minister of health and welfare for the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Link as Shih-chung Chen: Taiwan has been one of the few success stories throughout this pandemic
