Taiwan Medical Association Federation Knocks on WHA's Door Again, Voicing for Taiwan's International Participation

Taipei, May 17 (CNA) - As the World Health Assembly (WHA) is set to commence, Dr. Hsiang-Kuo Chen, President of the Taiwan Medical Association (TMA), is leading a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, to advocate for Taiwan's participation in the WHA alongside youth representatives. He stated that no country should be excluded from the international cooperation network. The 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) will open in Geneva, Switzerland on the 18th, and Taiwan has not received an invitation to the WHA for 10 consecutive years. Dr. Chen has formed a delegation with TMA Director Sheng-Che Lin, Secretary-General Pi-Cheng Chang, and Dr. Huei-Ming Ma, Superintendent of National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch, to attend peripheral events of the WHA in Geneva. Upon arrival, the TMA representatives immediately went to the Geneva railway station to participate in an advocacy event initiated by Taiwanese civil society groups, speaking on behalf of Taiwan's medical community. In a press release today, Dr. Chen shared that in his invited speech, he said that health is a fundamental human right, and no country should be excluded from the international cooperation network. During the event at the Geneva railway station, the TMA delegation took a group photo with the '2026 World Health Assembly Taiwan Youth Delegation,' formed by the Federation of Taiwan Medical and Health Youth. They encouraged the students' participation and experience sharing, jointly expressing that Taiwan cannot be isolated from the global health system and their determination to participate in the WHA. The TMA had already held an 'International Joint Press Conference of 21 Major Medical Groups in Taiwan' on the 8th, expressing to the World Health Organization that safeguarding global health is not the responsibility of a few, but the common responsibility of all humanity. The TMA stated that during the WHA, it will represent the common mission of Taiwan's 21 major medical groups, working with various groups from around the world in Geneva to defend the health rights of the people of Taiwan and the world. (Editor: Kuan-Wei Kuan) 1150517