President Lai addresses Taiwan Global Health Forum Series via video as World Health Assembly convenes

On the afternoon of May 18, President Lai Ching-te addressed the Taiwan Global Health Forum Series via video. The event was organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare's World Health Assembly (WHA) action team and held concurrently with the 79th WHA. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the goal of the event is to share the country's vision for the Healthy Taiwan initiative and open dialogue on three key issues: digital health and AI governance, cancer policy and innovation, and the global effort to eliminate hepatitis C. The president also indicated that Taiwan has been an active part of global health for many years and is committed to sharing its experiences as a responsible and reliable partner. President Lai emphasized that by joining the World Health Organization (WHO), Taiwan could do even more to support the world.

A transcript of President Lai's remarks follows:

Welcome to this forum series hosted by Taiwan during the World Health Assembly. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, thank you for attending. With your expertise, I'm confident we can work together to make even greater contributions to health.

Our world is seeing many profound changes. Technology is developing fast, populations are aging, and new infectious diseases continue to emerge. Therefore, we bear greater responsibilities than ever before.

As Taiwan's first president with a medical background, I'm eager to join forces to build a Healthy Taiwan.

At this event, we will share our vision and engage in dialogue on three key issues: digital health and AI governance, cancer policy and innovation, and the global effort to eliminate hepatitis C.

To start, digital health and AI are reshaping the future of healthcare. Taiwan is building a solid framework to promote responsible AI governance. This will help ensure that medical AI is safe, effective, and trustworthy.

At the same time, Taiwan's booming digital health industry will keep driving innovation. With tools like medical AI and robotics, and even the medical metaverse, we can enhance precision health and quality of care in every way.

Another critical area is cancer - one of the most serious health challenges of our time. To better prevent and treat cancer, Taiwan is promoting early screening, precision medicine, and better access to innovative treatments. We also launched a fund for new cancer drugs, and are updating our National Health Insurance. Our goal is to make sure that every patient receives timely, affordable, high-quality care.

Taiwan is also a leader in the global effort to eliminate hepatitis C. While the WHO set a target for 2030, Taiwan eliminated hepatitis C five years early. This success was no accident. It was built on sound governance and our National Health Insurance. Because of this, we were able to combine screening, treatment, and prevention into one plan.

However, this milestone is not the finish line. To maintain our progress, and close the remaining gaps, global cooperation is vital. We want to share what Taiwan has learned, and learn from our partners around the world. Together, we can work toward a future where hepatitis C is gone for good.

Successful health policy depends on collaboration. With the health challenges we face today, no country can act alone. We need to build stronger ties among the government, academia, industry, and the public. Only then can we boost innovation, promote equity, and build more resilient health systems.

For many years, Taiwan has been an active part of global health. As a responsible and reliable partner, we are committed to sharing our experiences and working closely with the international community. By joining the WHO, Taiwan could better ensure the right to health for all our people, and do even more to support the rest of the world.

To close, I want to thank the organizers, speakers, and participants for your hard work. Let's continue building a healthier, more sustainable, and more resilient world together. Thank you.