New Southbound Policy Portal

A specialized agency of the UN, the WHO is the world’s largest public health organization. Its goal is to ensure that all people―irrespective of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition―enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. 

To safeguard the right to health of its people, and considering that the provision of healthcare and the prevention of diseases are a shared responsibility of all nations, Taiwan started a campaign in 1997 to reengage with the WHO. Following many years of effort, the WHO agreed to include Taiwan in the implementation of the IHR in 2009. Taiwan has also attended the WHA as an observer each year since 2009. 

In each of the past eight years, Taiwan has sent a delegation to the World Health Assembly and has dispatched personnel to technical meetings of the World Health Organization. In attending such meetings, Taiwan has upheld the principles of being professional, pragmatic, and contributory. The professionalism displayed by Taiwan’s delegations to the WHA and to WHO technical meetings has led the international community to affirm Taiwan’s medical competency. Taiwan hopes, with the support of the international community and all relevant parties, to continue participating in the WHA as well as the meetings, mechanisms, and activities of the WHO, and to work with other nations to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3, promoting health and well-being for all at all ages.