Exclusion Of Taiwan From WHA Harms Global Health Efforts

Times of India: Ensuring Global Health: Keeping Taiwan out of World Health Assembly doesn’t make sense
Rudroneel Ghosh, journalist

“…[L]eaving Taiwan out of the WHO architecture is a big mistake. Irrespective of political differences between China and Taiwan, global health cooperation is too big an agenda to be compromised in this fashion. After all, diseases and pandemics don’t recognize borders and separate territories. And excluding Taiwan from [the World Health Assembly (WHA)] will leave a huge gap in the global health response mechanisms. … Besides, Taiwan, time and again, has proved its commitment to international health. … [H]ealth can’t be compromised because of politics. Irrespective of China’s political reservations, it shouldn’t block Taiwan’s participation in WHA…” (5/18).

News Lens: Taiwan’s Exclusion from the WHA is a Detriment to Global Health
Kuo-Chang Huang, member of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and chair of the New Power Party, and colleagues

“…By pressing for Taiwan’s exclusion from international issues such as global health, an issue on which Taiwan has a strong track record, China is denying the WHO and the global community the opportunity to benefit from Taiwan’s medical expertise. … It is of great importance to us that the WHA and the Secretariat of the WHO live up to their humanitarian vision and honor the opinions that have been advocating for Taiwan’s participation as an observer. … By giving way to Chinese demands, not only is public health put at risk, the organization is also subverting its own mission. We sincerely look forward to Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHA this year. The health of the world’s citizens should not be sacrificed on the whim of a single state’s political ambitions” (5/21).

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