The 67th World Health Assembly (WHA) will be held between May 19 and May 24 of this year (2014) in Geneva, Switzerland. According to the convention, the Director-General of WHO has sent a letter to all WHA observers, including Taiwan, about matters relating to the assembly. The Ministry of Health and Welfare received the letter from the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan, to Minister Wen-Ta Chiu of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, informing us about the time and place of the assembly, and inviting us to attend the assembly as an observer. Minister Chiu will lead a delegation to the WHA as invited, and exchange ideas on global medical and health care issues with participants from all over the world. 

The theme of this year’s WHA is “The link between climate and health”. Considering the changes in the pattern of infectious disease transmission due to climate change, the impact of flood and drought on food safety, the serious threat caused by earthquakes, tsunamis, and other major natural disasters on the medical care system and infrastructure of the affected countries, etc., the close relation between climate and human health is highlighted once again. Environmental protection awareness and initiatives are also strengthened in various countries. Through the discussion and sharing in this WHA, the WHO hopes to sort out the participating countries’ experiences and compile references for dealing with the climate and health issues. Technical issues listed in this year’s WHA Committee agenda include active aging, preparation for influenza pandemic, International Health Regulations (IHR), prevention and control of non-infectious diseases, traditional medicine, physical handicap, autism care, reinforcement of health system, Millennium Development Goals, Global Vaccine Action Plan, etc. 

Holding on to the principle of professional participation, Taiwan’s delegation will not only request to be put on the WHA and sub-committees’ lists of speakers on various health issues, but also seize every opportunity to share widely with the WHO and its member countries about opinions on medical and health care issues. We expect to keep track of the latest information and promote professional exchanges by our active participation, in order to ensure Taiwan’s seamless connection with the world’s medical and health care development, enabling us to build a healthy environment beneficial to the people of the country. 

Sticking to the notion that participation makes our voices heard, our delegation is not only taking part in WHA meetings and discussions this year, but also taking every chance to demonstrate our active participation in and contributions to the international health affairs in all occasions, and our determination to be part of the WHO’s other meetings, mechanisms, and activities. Taiwan is going to keep striving for and consolidating the world’s support for us; it is hoped that our meaningful participation in the WHO with dignity will be extended further under the mediated and positive development of the cross-strait relation.