By Dr. Chen Shih-chung, Minister of Health and Welfare, Republic of China (Taiwan)
The threat of emerging infectious diseases to global health and the economy, trade, and tourism has never abated. Pandemics can spread rapidly around the world because of the ease of international transportation. Today, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic. As of April 8, 2020, WHO data shows 1.35 million people had been confirmed as having the disease, with 79,235 deaths in 211 countries.
In the 17 years since it was hit hard by the SARS outbreak, Taiwan has been in a state of constant readiness to the threat of emerging infectious disease. As a result, when information concerning a novel pneumonia outbreak was confirmed on December 31, 2019, Taiwan began implementing onboard quarantine of direct flights from Wuhan that same day. Taiwan activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on January 20 as a level 3 government entity. As of April 9, Taiwan had tested 42,315 persons showing 380 confirmed cases, with 54 indigenous, 326 imported and five deaths. Despite its proximity to China, Taiwan ranked 123rd among 183 countries in terms of confirmed cases per million people.
Taiwan has fulfilled its responsibilities as a global citizen and abided by the International Health Regulations 2005. Yet Taiwan has long been excluded from WHO due to political considerations. This has been regrettable given all that Taiwan could share with the world thanks to its renowned public health experience, health system, and ability to perform rapid testing as well as research and manufacture vaccines and drugs against COVID-19.
Disease knows no borders. If it is indeed WHO’s mission to ensure the highest attainable standard of health for every human being, then WHO needs Taiwan just as Taiwan needs WHO. We urge WHO and related parties to acknowledge Taiwan’s longstanding contributions to the international community and to include Taiwan in WHO and its meetings, mechanisms, and activities. No one should be left behind.