The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) is set to hold the "International Forum on Integrative Health: Navigating the Future of Holistic Care and Well-being" in Geneva, Switzerland on May 28. This forum, themed around nursing and care, will share Taiwan's strategies for nursing workforce development and focus on discussions about the future resilience of health care. Experts attending the forum include Dr. Pamela F. Cipriano, President of the International Council of Nurses, along with its Third Vice President, Professor Huang Lian-Hua, and Professor Richard Henker from the University of Pittsburgh, among other international leaders in the nursing sector. Also, experts in non-pharmacological naturopathic care from multiple Nordic countries such as Denmark, Norway, Sweden and United Kingdom, including Anette Hansen, Terje Varpe, Helene Ruhling, and Jaqueline James, will share opportunities and challenges in promoting integrative health in Nordic countries, such as reflexology and other holistic healing modalities.
This event echoes the theme of this year's International Nurses Day: "Our Nurses. Our Future. The Economic Power of Care." The World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out that investing in nursing workforce and retention is a key element in increasing the coverage of public health and a pivotal strategy for achieving national sustainable development goals. During the forum, Director-General Tsay Shwu-Feng of the MOHW Department of Nursing and Health Care will deliver a keynote speech with three outlines, "Narrating Nursing Workforce with Data," "Visionary Investment in Nursing Policies," and "Transforming Nursing Through Action," emphasizing Taiwan's capability to contribute and expressing solidarity in international nursing development and sustainable global health care.
The WHO is advocating for the development of innovative nursing models focused on preventive and holistic care, aligned with the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023, suggesting the integration of traditional and complementary therapies into global health care systems. Current research indicates a significant increase in the utilization and attention to non-pharmacological care measures and naturopathic medicine in European countries. However, healthcare professionals often lack awareness in this field, while the public expects healthcare providers to offer consultations on non-pharmacological care measures and naturopathic therapies. To strengthen the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of European nurses in evidence-based non-pharmacological integrative care measures and naturopathic medicine, the European Union completed a four-year project (2019-2023) to develop an integrated nursing education curriculum and competency map. Additionally, teaching manuals for nursing instructors were developed, and the materials have been shared and promoted in over 200 nursing schools across the European Union, with the aim of facilitating self-care among nursing professionals and providing better healthcare services to the public.