Taiwan's WHA observer status

Taiwan's WHA observer status is the direct result of "flexible diplomacy",the pragmatic approach to cross -straits relations championed by ROC President Ma Ying -jeou. A US state Department report released April 30 confirms Washington intentions to set goal having WHO invite the island to attend as WHA observer on an annual basis. Taiwan not a member of the United Nations,had failed to join WHO affairs due to China's obstruction until last year when Taiwan gained the WHA observer status for the first time.Now after nearly 38 years been able to gain observer status i s viewed as a result of Taiwan's efforts to greatly improve its relations with China in the past two years. Sixty-Third World Health Assembly (WHA) has taken place at the Palais des Nation s, Geneva, Switzerland, on May 17-21.WHO discussed at the WHA include: pandemic influenza preparedness, implementation of the international health regulations, public health, innovation and intellectual property, monitoring of the achievement of the health Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), international chemical management: addressing chemicals of public health concern, health and climate change, food safety, international recruitment of health personnel: draft global code of practice, prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, tuberculosis control, counterfeit medical pro ducts, human organ and tissue transplantation, treatment and prevention of pneumonia.On March 22 this year, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan sent a letter to Minister of Health Yaung Chih-liang inviting renewed participation at this years meeting scheduled for May 17â 22. The significance of Taiwan's greater participation in the international health network, however, extends far beyond its presence as an observer at the last two WHA meetings. Taiwan attended the World Health Assembly annual meeting in Switzerland as an ob server."I feel really good, really terrific," Taiwan's Central News Agency quote d Health Minister Yeh Ching-chuan as saying after he represented his country at the meeting. "Thirty-eight years are a long wait and I feel honored to be able to represent T aiwan in the World Health Assembly," Yeh was quoted as saying. With a greater role in the WHO,Taiwan can better shares its executive experience in assisting less developed countries to provide improved health care for their population,along with emergent health care services know-how. Taiwan with its traditional culture and modern economy with its rural values will bolster its standing on the global stage and considerably strengthen the global health network thus to mitigate menace of diseases and epidemic prevailing world over.