Latest news with #FourteenthGeneralProgrammeofWork
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
A healthier world through Taiwan's proven healthcare model
LETTERS Health is a fundamental human right and a universal value. Improved health results in greater well-being for the people and has ramifications for the survival and development of a country and even the world. At the 77th World Health Assembly, members adopted the World Health Organisation (WHO) Fourteenth General Programme of Work for 2025-2028. The programme includes such strategic objectives as improving health service coverage and bolstering financial protections to ensure universal health coverage. WHO has called on all countries to take action on these issues. As concerns rise over universal health coverage, Taiwan launched the National Health Insurance (NHI) system in 1995. The scheme, which brought together already existing occupational insurance schemes, has reached its 30th year and now covers 99.9 per cent of the population. The NHI system provides equitable, accessible, and efficient healthcare to all people in Taiwan. It is also an important pillar and guarantor of Taiwan's social stability as well as people's health and safety. It has, moreover, become a global benchmark for achieving universal health coverage. In an annual survey carried out by Numbeo, Taiwan has been ranked first in the Health Care Index category for seven consecutive years. The NHI operates on a pay-as-you-go, self-sustaining model capable of addressing the financial challenges posed by an ageing population and rising healthcare costs. By reforming premium rates and adding additional funding sources, such as the tobacco health and welfare surcharge, the system is on a sound, sustainable footing. To promote the health of our people, President Lai Ching-te articulated a vision of a healthy Taiwan in 2024. This aims to ensure that people are healthy, the nation is strong, and the world is more ready to embrace Taiwan. Remaining focused on people, families, and communities, we are expanding health promotion operations and preventive healthcare. Moreover, we are implementing a family physician plan, offering comprehensive care to patients with chronic diseases, and utilising telemedicine to improve healthcare accessibility in rural areas. By promoting integrated long-term care, palliative care, and ageing in place, we ensure holistic, lifelong, and dignified care for all people, realising health equity. In 2021, WHO released the Global Strategy on Digital Health for 2020-2025. Under this plan, the global health body is seeking the development and adoption of person-centric digital health solutions to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases. It is also overseeing development of infrastructure and applications to use health data to promote health and well-being. Taiwan continues to utilise its prowess in information and communications technology to build effective, high-ROI health systems and services. The NHI cloud facilitates the more efficient exchange of medical records, while the adoption of international standards such as Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources enhances international medical data sharing. Additionally, the incorporation of AI-assisted technologies is advancing the development of smart healthcare. And the introduction of a virtual health insurance card and the My Health Bank app, which enables real-time management of personal health data, empowers people to make health-enabling choices. In 2008, Taiwan introduced the Health Technology Assessment to facilitate evidence-based policymaking. It also accelerated the inclusion of new treatments under the NHI system. For example, in 2023, gene and cell therapies were covered for the first time, marking a new era for precision medicine and offering patients enhanced treatment options. Taiwan also continues to leverage innovative technologies to improve the working environment for the medical workforce and to bolster the overall quality of medical service. What's more, despite facing political challenges, Taiwan has continuously participated in international health affairs and has been dedicated to supporting the global health system. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan played a crucial role in sharing supplies, strategies, and experiences, and proved to be a reliable partner of countries worldwide. Separately, Taiwan's success story in implementing universal health coverage offers valuable lessons for countries worldwide. As we continue to share our experiences in universal coverage, financial management, and digital health, we hope to facilitate other nations in reaching WHO's goal of universal health coverage. In this rapidly changing era, health challenges transcend borders, and global cooperation has become essential to addressing various health crises. However, Taiwan has been prevented from participating in WHO—the foremost global health cooperation body—due to China's continued distortion of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and World Health Assembly Resolution 25.1. Neither of these resolutions mentions Taiwan or declares that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic of China. Therefore, these resolutions have no power to confer upon the PRC any right to represent Taiwan in WHO. In light of this, and to uphold the core UN values of inclusiveness and universality, we urge WHO and all relevant parties to recognise Taiwan's considerable contributions to global public health and the human right to health. It is imperative that WHO adopt a more open-minded approach and demonstrate flexibility, adhering to the principles of professionalism and inclusivity. Taiwan should be included, as a matter of pragmatism, in the World Health Assembly and all WHO meetings, activities, and mechanisms, particularly those concerned with the WHO pandemic agreement. Taiwan earnestly hopes to work with the international community to create a future of borderless healthcare that realises the fundamental human right to health stipulated in the WHO Constitution and the vision of leaving no one behind espoused in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Qatar Tribune
20-05-2025
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar committed to supporting WHO's mission to build a healthy future: Minister for Public Health
Tribune News Network Geneva Minister of Public Health His Excellency Mansoor bin Ebrahim Al Mahmoud has reaffirmed Qatar's steadfast commitment to supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) and its mission to build a healthier future, grounded in strong partnerships, a clear vision, and a firm dedication to the principles of justice, driven by the belief that health is both a goal and a means to achieve a more just, safe, and humane world. In his speech at the ongoing World Health Assembly (WHA) meetings in Geneva, the minister said, 'Qatar believes that health is a cross-border issue. 'Through high-level strategic dialogue with the World Health Organization and support for its Fourteenth General Programme of Work, Qatar remains firmly committed to advancing the organisation's strategic objectives. This commitment is driven by the belief that collaborative action is the foundation for achieving health equity for all.' He added, 'Qatar plays an active role in supporting global health security, promoting development, and providing humanitarian assistance to affected countries. This has been evident in Qatar's swift response to crises and its efforts to ensure equitable access to health resources in partnership with our regional and international partners.' The minister explained that Qatar's third National Health Strategy (NHS3) is aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 in its focus on achieving universal health coverage, promoting health equity, enhancing the patient experience, and improving the efficiency of the healthcare system. He said, 'The humanitarian tragedy unfolding in the Gaza Strip for over a year and a half, as a result of Israeli aggression, calls for intensified efforts by the international community and international organisations to end this suffering and to uphold the fundamental human right to a dignified life and access to healthcare.' The World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19 to 27 under the theme 'One World for Health'. The Qatari delegation is headed by the Minister of Public Health. The assembly serves as the decision-making body of the World Health Organization.
Times of Oman
09-04-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
Oman National Health Policy launched to bolster healthcare
Muscat: The Ministry of Health launched Oman National Health Policy on Wednesday. This comes as part of efforts to bolster the healthcare system in the Sultanate of Oman and to achieve objectives of Oman Vision 2040. The launching ceremony was held under the auspices of Sayyid Dr. Sultan Ya'arub Al Busaidi, Advisor at the Private Office. The launch programme featured a speech by Dr. Ahmed Salem Al Mandhari, the Ministry of Health's Undersecretary for Health Planning and Regulation, who emphasised that this achievement would not have been possible without the tireless efforts and fruitful collaboration across various sectors and partners. He explained that the policy was developed in a participatory manner, ensuring its alignment with Oman Vision 2040 and its responsiveness to global health developments, making it the cornerstone for a more efficient, equitable, and sustainable healthcare system. Al Mandhari highlighted that the policy is grounded in the principle of 'Health for All, by All,' which reflects a shared vision where health is a collective responsibility that requires the joint efforts of all sectors and partners. He added that it is well-known that individual and community health is influenced by several factors beyond the traditional healthcare sector, such as education, housing, income levels, working conditions, environmental, and economic factors. This is why the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach has been adopted. He emphasised the importance of cooperation and integration between government and non-government sectors, stakeholders, and the community to maximize health benefits and minimize the negative impact of public policies on individual health. He outlined that the goals of the HiAP approach include improving the health of populations, promoting health equity, ensuring the integration of health considerations into government policy-making, and supporting the sustainability of decisions that prioritize public health while preventing potential health harms. For her part, Dr. Hana Balkhy, Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, emphasized in her speech on behalf of the Organization that Oman National Health Policy aligns with the WHO's Fourteenth General Programme of Work, the Strategic Operational Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean Region 2025-2028, and the WHO's three regional flagship initiatives on expanding access to medicines, building up the health workforce, and tackling substance use. Dr. Balkhy also pointed out that one of the strengths of this NHP is its recognition that a population's health and well-being is a responsibility shared by all. The National Health Policy represents a pivotal advancement in the development of Oman's healthcare system and serves as a fundamental update to previous policies. It prioritizes sustainability, governance, and the strengthening of cross-sector partnerships. The policy introduces a comprehensive healthcare model that not only addresses demographic and epidemiological shifts but also emphasizes sustainable health financing and the integration of digital technologies to improve service delivery. This policy is designed to tackle the key challenges facing the healthcare sector, including the rise in non-communicable diseases, the growing elderly population, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of health financing.
