The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Ministry of Health and Welfare held the Director General handover ceremony today (June 17); Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo, Ministry of Health and Welfare representative in the U.S., acceded to the post of director. 
 
The handover ceremony was hosted by Minister Wen-Ta Chiu in person. He commented positively on Director General Kuo’s comprehensive administrative experience, faithful fulfillment of duties, rich experience in epidemic prevention, and outstanding talent in international communication, cooperation, and leadership. It is expected that the CDC staff members will keep improving their work under the leadership of their new director, and that their overall capacity and performance in fighting against epidemics will be ever advancing. 
 
Director General Steve Hsu-Sung Kuo previously worked as the Director of Bureau of Planning, Department of Health (DOH); DOH’s representative in the U.S.; CDC’s Director General (before DOH was reformed into the Ministry of Health and Welfare), Ministry of Health and Welfare’s representative in the U.S.. During the handover ceremony, Director General Kuo expressed his gratitude to Minister Chiu for his trust, and committed himself to restructuring the organizational framework for effective use of the epidemic prevention budget, enhancing the core professional competence of all CDC colleagues, and reinforcing training of the public health personnel for epidemic prevention. He also pledged to work in concert with the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s health technology assessment (HTA) policy for comprehensive reviews of the epidemic prevention strategies and enhancement of epidemic prevention performance. He mentioned the prevention of tuberculosis in particular, stating that the goal of halving the incidences in 10 years is still far from being realized, and hence it is still an important issue in epidemic prevention. Furthermore, Kuo aspires to play the role of a civil official well with neither a supercilious nor an obsequious manner, but with a bold and non-flattering attitude, and the same expectations are made for all colleagues.