China Cooperates with Taiwan on Bird Flu Outbreak Information

[sharon sanders]

Units know bird flu, "Health Department" sent to the mainland

http://www.sina.com.cn 2009年03月30日14:46 台海网​

http://www.sina.com.cn 2009 month 30 day 03 years 14:46 Taiwan Strait Net
<!-- 正文内容 begin --><!-- google_ad_section_start -->

台海网3月30日讯为瞭解中国大陆禽流感疫情，台湾?卫生署?今天在?陆委会?委员会议上提出报告，?卫生署?表示，已派员赴大陆瞭解当地疫情及其因应作为。​

Net Strait hearing March 30 In order to understand the bird flu in mainland China, Taiwan, "Health Department" Today at "Mainland Affairs Council" on members of the Conference report, "Health Department", said the mainland has deployed staff to know the local situation and its response to as.

据台媒报道，?卫生署?今天在?陆委会?委员会议上提出?中国大陆H5N1禽流感疫情评估及因应?报告，?卫生署?指出，目前中国大陆疫情仍属禽传人，且其爆发禽流感疫情之风险仍大，因而一旦爆发，将对台湾造成直接的影响。​

According to Taiwan media reports, "Health Department" Today at "Mainland Affairs Council" members of the Conference on the "mainland Chinese H5N1 bird flu outbreak assessment and response to" reports, "Health Department" that the current epidemic situation in China is still a bird-human transmission, and the outbreak of the risk of bird flu is still great, so once the outbreak will cause a direct impact on Taiwan.

?卫生署?指出，?卫生署?已持续掌握世界卫生组织(WHO)、大陆官方及媒体报导之相关资讯；派员赴大陆地区瞭解当地疫情及其因应作为；加强机场、港口发烧筛检措施；并提供民众相关卫教宣导等因应作为。​

"The Department of Health," that "the Department of Health" has been going on to master the World Health Organization (WHO), the mainland official and media reports of relevant information; sent to the mainland and know the local situation should be as a result; to strengthen the airport, port fever screening measures ; and to provide public advocacy related to health education, etc. should be as a result.

?卫生署?表示，今年台湾已正式纳入国际卫生条例(IHR)运作体系，相信未来国际合作管道将更为畅通，目前两岸防疫工作已有良性互动，惟缺乏制度性的安排，故台湾应更致力于建立双边或多边防疫伙伴关系。​

"Health Department" said that this year has been officially incorporated into the Taiwan International Health Regulations (IHR) the operation of the system, I believe the future of international cooperation will be more open channels, the current prevention of cross-strait interaction has been benign, but the lack of institutional arrangements, so Taiwan should be more committed to the establishment of bilateral or multilateral prevention partnership.



http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2009-03-30/144615390801s.shtml

 

[SuperNova1987A]

Re: Chian Cooperates with Taiwan on Bird Flu Outbreak Information

Re: Chian Cooperates with Taiwan on Bird Flu Outbreak Information

'Taiwan's WHO membership pivotal for its people' 2009.04.20
Source: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2009/04/20/200904200049.asp

The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has been seeking to
participate in the World Health Organization since 1997, as it is the only
reliable way to ensure the health rights of Taiwan's 23 million people.

Taiwan has also consistently set observership at the World Health Assembly
as an important goal. In addition to its diplomatic allies, Taiwan has
succeeded in gaining firm support from the United States and Japan.

The European Union and Canada have also signaled their support for Taiwan's
meaningful participation in the WHO, and many other countries recognize the
need to include Taiwan in the global health network.

Taiwan welcomes the arrangements proposed by the WHO in January this
year to include Taiwan in the implementation of the International Health
Regulations and, from a technical perspective, considers this a positive
development.

However, the IHR is limited in scope to the sharing of information on
epidemics and their control. If the global public health system is to be
considered complete, then Taiwan's involvement in other issues concerning
human health and welfare - such as food safety, tobacco control and the
prevention of counterfeiting pharmaceutical products- is absolutely
necessary.

The government of Taiwan therefore believes that the WHO must accept
Taiwan's full participation if it is to realize the goal of ensuring the enjoyment
of highest attainable standard of health for all. Granting Taiwan WHA
observer status is the most pragmatic and feasible way of including Taiwan
at this stage.

Granting WHA observership to Taiwan is consistent with current WHO
practice and is based on the on the spirit of the WHO Constitution and of the
WHA Rules of Procedure.

Therefore, inviting Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer is not
only in line with current WHO practice, but would also fulfill the spirit of
universal participation enshrined in the WHO Constitution.

Taiwan's attainment of WHA observership would help strengthen the global
health system.

Taiwan's role as a key sea and air transport hub in Asia-Pacific makes it
vulnerable to epidemics.

In 2003, an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome spread rapidly to
over 27 countries within a few months, taking the lives of over 800 people.

Being a key sea and air transport hub in the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan
handles, on average, 3,600 international flights, 1,633 ships and 490,000
international passengers arriving or departing from Taiwan each week.

In particular, Taiwan currently has 1,433 weekly flights to and from
neighboring countries where cases of human infection with the H5N1 strain of
the avian influenza virus have been reported, such as mainland China,
Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia.

Once an outbreak happens in Taiwan, the virus can quickly spread to other
countries. Therefore, the international community must find a solution that
allows for Taiwan's full involvement in the WHO.

Human health security is multifaceted and requires Taiwan's active
participation. The WHO should value Taiwan's numerous achievements and
experience in this field, and work with Taiwan to assist countries in need.

Using avian influenza vaccines to illustrate the point, Taiwan began research
and development on an H5N1 vaccine in 2005.

While still in its early stages, Taiwan undertakes to share the vaccine with
other countries once it enters mass production. However, given the rapid
mutation of the H5N1 virus, Taiwan must be allowed to obtain the latest
strains through WHO-led international coordination, as well as conduct
technical exchanges with other countries, so that the vaccine can provide
comprehensive protection.

Yet Taiwan remains unable to attend related WHO intergovernmental
coordination meetings, and lacks access to the latest virus information. Thus,
the vaccines that Taiwan is developing might not be effective.

Except disease prevention, other issues dealt by the WHO, such as food
safety, tobacco control and the prevention of counterfeiting pharmaceutical
products, are also pivotal to human health security. Taiwan's absence
creates a gap in the global health system.

Although Taiwan is dedicated to fighting smuggled cigarettes and counterfeit
medical products, it still cannot take part in related WHO mechanisms and
meetings.

Over the past few decades, Taiwan has eradicated on the home front
numerous transmittable diseases, such as malaria, smallpox and polio. It also
has set a precedent in Asia by establishing the region's first national health
insurance system. Taiwan now would like to reciprocate by sharing its
experiences with countries in need.

Although unable to join international medical projects organized by the WHO,
Taiwan has actively helped other countries upgrade their healthcare
standards through a variety of measures.

Moreover, Taiwan's medical assistance overseas is in line with some of the
WHO's current focuses.

As Taiwan possesses advanced medical standards and desires to contribute
to the international community, it should not be kept from participating in
cross-border medical assistance and cooperative efforts under the WHO
framework. At the current stage, the best way to ensure Taiwan's
participation in WHO-related projects by making timely contribution is to
grant Taiwan WHA's observer status.

According to the WHO, new diseases, like SARS and avian influenza, are
emerging at an unprecedented rate, revealing that the world is engaged in an
uphill battle to keep pace with mutating viruses.

Moreover, globalization and technological advancements may further impact
the health of human beings through an array of factors, such as climate
change, the spread of unhealthy lifestyles, and easy movement of people and
commodities.

As the WHO is the most influential multilateral forum that handles healthcare
issues confronting the international community and is dedicated to the goal
of "health for all," it should not deprive Taiwan of the right to participate.

Taiwan's inclusion will benefit all parties concerned. Therefore, the
government of Taiwan calls on the world to support Taiwan's observer status
in the WHA, thereby better safeguarding the health security of all mankind.

By Chen Yeong-cho Taipei Mission Head Representative

**********************************************

Taiwan has been precluded from WHO and other international institutions
because of the ?One China? policy led by the People?s Republic of China (PRC).

It is always our shared concern in East Asia that Taiwan?s nonparticipation in
the global health efforts might jeopardize the safety of 23 million people in
Taiwan as well as people of East Asia and the world.

When PRC strongly supported Dr. Margaret Chan?s appointment to the General
Manager of WHO two years ago, people congratulated her because of her
ability, experience and contribution to the world health but at the same time,
because people wished that she might change her own country?s attitude
toward avian influenza and Taiwan and that PRC might change its own
attitude to support her.

Things are changing like in the above article and Taiwan participated in an (or
some) international meeting(s) on pandemic influenza as an observer since
then.

But we are still our fingers that more changes become visible in the near
future. (also in bird flu surveillance)

For more information, please refer to http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/rapidpdf/cmaj.090613
(original in English) posted by Muscade in
Taiwan devrait participer ? l'Assembl?e mondiale de la sant?. (hattip Muscade)


_________________________________
SN1987A

 

[SuperNova1987A]

Re: Chian Cooperates with Taiwan on Bird Flu Outbreak Information

Re: Chian Cooperates with Taiwan on Bird Flu Outbreak Information

Taiwan attends WHA as observer
Source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/05/18/Taiwan-attends-WHA-as-observer/UPI-68411242697115/

TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 18 (UPI) -- Taiwan's long exclusion from United Nations
agencies ended Monday when it attended the World Health Assembly annual
meeting in Switzerland as an observer.
"I feel really good, really terrific," Taiwan's Central News Agency quoted
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
Taiwan in the World Health Assembly," Yeh was quoted as saying.

The Taipei Times reported Tuesday a survey showed respondents were mostly
satisfied with the observer status but that a majority was unsatisfied that
Taiwan took its place at the WHA as "Chinese Taipei." Some said they
preferred the title "Taiwan" while others supported "Republic of China."

China has always claimed Taiwan as part of its territory. However, relations
between the two have improved significantly since Ma Ying-jeou became
Taiwan's president last May.

Taiwan lost its U.N. membership in 1971 and the Central News Agency said
the current Geneva meeting is the first since then when Taiwan has been able
to participate in an event organized by a U.N.-affiliated agency.

The observer status is credited to the growing ties between China and
Taiwan.

Reporting the latest development, China Daily said the observer status came
after 12 filed attempts. It said after Ma's election, Taiwan started to revise
policies to ease tensions across the Taiwan Straits.
*************************************

Welcome. Taiwan.
Thank you. China.

Asia is safer with Taiwan's participation in multinational efforts against
pandemic.


____________________
SN1987A