Taiwan's request for WHO participation

(Second of three parts)

Taiwan is somehow happy about a positive development in its quest to be recognized in the WHO for its contribution in the field of health. Last January, it was included in the World Health Organization in the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. Taiwan will be sharing information on epidemics and their control, but considers this merely a passive measure. It is hoping that WHO would recognize its numerous achievements and experience in this field and endorse its ability and readiness to work with other countries in need. As it is now, the continued disregard for Taiwan’s work renders the uselessness of achievements realized in research and development, when the gains should be already benefiting other countries. A case in point is Taiwan’s research and development work on avian influenza (H5NI) vaccines in 2005. In its early stages, Taiwan had wanted to share the vaccine with other countries once it enters mass production. However, given the rapid mutations of the H5NI virus, Taiwan had required to obtain the latest strains through WHO-led international coordination, as well as conduct technical exchanges with other countries, so that the vaccine can provide comprehensive protection. But Taiwan was denied participation in WHO intergovernmental coordination meetings, hence unable to access the latest information on the virus. Thus, the work on the development of vaccines to prevent the spread of the disease is rendered useless.

Aside from the prevention of diseases, other issues dealt by the WHO, such as food safety, tobacco control and the prevention of counterfeiting pharmaceutical products are also pivotal to human health security. Taiwan’s absence creates a gap in the global health system. Taking food safety as an example, the raw materials used in modern food production are sourced from many different places, and regulations on food quality controls are different from country to country. As a result, cases of food contamination can easily occur (recent examples include melamine-tainted milk products from mainland china and salmonella-contaminated peanut butter from the US). Yet as of this day, Taiwan is still excluded from the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN), and can neither report nor gain access to the latest information on food safety.

Although Taiwan is dedicated to fighting smuggled cigarettes and counterfeit medical products, it still is denied participation in related WHO mechanisms and meetings, such as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (IMPACT). Taiwan’s current efforts to exchange information with other countries and contribute to related multinational cooperation have been discouraged, in the process, leaving a gap and weakening global efforts against smuggling and counterfeit activities.

Given the precarious situation the world is now in with drug-resistant diseases and a variety of animal viruses that infect humans and lead to a pandemic, as well as the changes in climate patterns that causes a breakdown in the world’s defense systems, WHO, as one of the lead international organizations committed to safeguard man’s safety and security, should leave no stone unturned. WHO must welcome Taiwan’s full participation in its meetings and activities. As precedents have been established for WHA observers being invited to attend intergovernmental meetings on avian influenza as well as the FCTC, there is no reason why Taiwan should not also be included as observers in the World Health Assembly, given its various contributions to the international community in the field of health.