TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Five of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies spoke up for the nation at the World Health Assembly (WHA), which began on Monday (May 27).
The Marshall Islands, Saint Lucia, Belize, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines all called for Taiwan’s inclusion in the WHA on Monday, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Guatemala also supported Taiwan on May 28.
Marshall Islands Minister of Health Ota Kisino said, “Taiwan is a responsible global health partner, having alerted WHO (World Health Organization) about early COVID-19 cases and shared vital information about avian influenza.”
Taiwan has improved medical care in small Pacific nations and provided disaster recovery aid globally, Kisino said. “I urge the WHO to support Taiwan’s inclusion and participation in its meetings and activities,” he said.
The WHO cannot fully realize the goal of ‘health for all’ “without Taiwan’s participation,” he added.
Saint Lucia Minister of Health Moses Baptiste said, “It is critical for the WHO to ensure the participation of all stake holders including Taiwan as an observer.” “Taiwan’s prolonged exclusion from the WHO can impair WHO’s disease prevention efforts and jeopardize global health,” Baptiste said.
He added that “Taiwan has been contributing to global efforts to realize the right to help with partner countries, international organizations.” It has helped communities in the South Pacific and Caribbean and provided humanitarian assistance in the Philippines, Japan, Hawaii, Turkey, and Indonesia, he pointed out.
Belize Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard said Taiwan “has excelled in global health contributions, including vaccine development and healthcare innovation.” However, Chinese political pressure “has unjustly excluded Taiwan from the WHA since 2017,” Bernard said.
“Taiwan’s participation in the WHA as an observer is imperative,” he said, adding, “Taiwan’s expertise and resources can significantly enhance global health outcomes, benefiting all nations.”
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Minister of Health Saint Clair Emmanuel Prince said, “The WHO must invite Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer if we are to truly have ‘all for health, health for all’.” The country has “attained universal health coverage and ensuring that all 23 million citizens have equitable access to quality health services,” Prince said.
He said Taiwan has “mastered” various aspects of health and well-being for its people, such as maternal and child health services, health financing, information systems for health, and disaster preparedness. “Their continued exclusion makes a mockery of this noble goal. The world needs Taiwan, because Taiwan can help and is quite willing and able to do so,” he said.
Guatemala Minister of Health Oscar Cordon said, “We thank our ally Taiwan for improving our country's health services through technical and financial cooperation projects.”
In addition to its allies, several close partners backed Taiwan’s inclusion in the global health body, including the U.S., Japan, Belgium, Australia, the Netherlands, France, Germany, the U.K., Latvia, Canada, the Czech Republic, and New Zealand.
