President Tsai Ing-wen is taking to Twitter in an effort to remind the world of the need for Taiwan to continue participating as an observer in the WHA. (Courtesy of Office of the President)

President Tsai Ing-wen is reminding the international community of the need for Taiwan to participate as an observer in the May 22-31 World Health Assembly—the decision-making body of the World Health Organization—via a series of tweets on her official Twitter account.
 
On May 2, Tsai tweeted “Taiwan provides medical assistance to millions of patients around the world—this is Taiwan’s story” and shared a link to an online gallery of photographs spotlighting decades of contributions by the Republic of China (Taiwan) to strengthening international health and the importance of Taiwan’s vital role in the WHO.
 
Launched late last month, Leave No One Behind: World Health Security Needs Taiwan, Taiwan Needs the WHO features photographs and films separated into the categories of Building Medical Capacity, Combating Major Diseases, Humanitarian Medical Aid, Safeguarding Global Health, and Taiwan and the WHO. It is an initiative of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health and Welfare.
 
The president also tweeted May 1 about a Taiwan medical team successfully performing free operations in Vietnam on 35 children with cleft lip palate and other facial deformities. Comprising volunteers from Taipei City-headquartered Noordhoff Craniofacial Foundation and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, the team also included physicians from German Cleft Children’s Aid Society and Vietnam.
 
On April 29, Tsai tweeted three times in succession, stating that “Taiwan should not be excluded from WHA this year for any reason,” “Taiwan is committed to assisting other countries that face health challenges & active contributor to health programs around the world” and “On Taiwan’s participation in the WHA, we are grateful for continued support from the intl community. Thank you for speaking out for Taiwan.”
 
The president, who is also chairperson of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, is not the only DPP member working tirelessly to promote Taiwan’s WHA cause. On May 2, the party’s caucus held an international news conference in Taipei urging the WHO to issue an invitation for Taiwan to attend the WHA as an observer by the meeting’s May 8 registration deadline.
 
A group of DPP legislators, including Chen Chi-mai, Lin Ching-yi, Lo Chih-cheng and Wang Ting-yu, highlighted Taiwan’s role in international medical work and numerous contributions to improving global health. They concluded the event by chanting in English “Taiwan joining WHA.”
 
Taiwan was invited in 2009 by the WHO to take part as an observer in the annual WHA in Geneva, Switzerland, following 38 years of exclusion. The country has since shared its extensive expertise in areas such as providing universal health care coverage and managing outbreaks of contagious diseases like SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. (JSM)