The Ministry of Health and Welfare Building was completed in May of this year. The opening ceremony will be conducted this morning (June 18). President Ma, legislatures, and representatives from government agencies and related organizations have been invited to join the festivities and witness this historic moment. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, which was formerly known as the Department of Health, has never had its own office building since its establishment in 1971. A number of former ministers sought funding from the Executive Yuan and planned the building. In 2007, the Executive Yuan agreed to the construction of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Building. Following numerous years of coordination and planning, the building was officially completed in May of this year. Minister Chiu stated that the units of the Ministry of Health and Welfare were originally scattered across a number of leased private offices. Today, they can all be stationed within a single office. This will add opportunities for horizontal linkage and exchange between units. It will also facilitate the integration of health and social welfare affairs, concretely increasing the administrative efficiency of the government and strengthening the quality of convenience services. Today’s opening of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Building also symbolizes a new milestone for the integration of health and welfare services. 

President Ma expressed approval of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which has already achieved remarkable results in a number of health and welfare policies despite having been established less than a year ago. President Ma hopes for the continued “integration of health care and social welfare and the formation of a cohesive team consensus” under the leadership of Minister Chiu, creating a society of healthy and happy people. Premier Jiang also hopes that the official opening of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Building can further a cohesive consensus among peers in health and social welfare affairs and help them continue to safeguard and strive for the health and welfare of the people and create a happy and harmonious future together. 

To celebrate the opening of the building, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has designed “health and welfare review exhibitions” to look back on and understand the glorious history of public health and social welfare. These are divided into two exhibition areas: “Zone A—Health and Welfare” and “Zone B—International Cooperation.” Zone A introduces nine major themes, including hospital accreditation in Taiwan, hepatitis B prevention, the implementation of the National Health Insurance, and palliative care. In addition, Zone A also includes a public health center simulation area for the immersion of the people. Zone B introduces Taiwan’s return to the World Health Organization and its participation in other international organizations. These special exhibitions and activities will be open to the public for three months in the hall of the first floor of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Building. The public is welcome to visit. 

The construction design of the Ministry of Health and Welfare Building focuses on natural harmonious health and environmentally friendly energy. The goal was the construction of a humanistic and international-level office and administrative building with low energy use. An ecological, energy-saving, waste-reducing, healthy, comfortable, and environmentally friendly green office environment was created to protect the environment and meet goals for sustainable development and operation.