Shih Chung-liang Urges Recognition of Taiwan's Contribution and Participation in Global Public Health in Israeli Newspaper Op-Ed

(CNA, Taipei, May 18) The World Health Assembly (WHA) began today, and on the 17th, Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang wrote an op-ed in a major Israeli newspaper, calling on the World Health Organization to recognize Taiwan's outstanding contributions and include it in the global public health system. According to a press release from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv, The Jerusalem Post, Israel's largest English-language newspaper with a readership of about 20 million domestically and abroad, published Shih's op-ed prominently on the 17th. Shih's op-ed pointed out that the world is facing challenges such as aging populations and shortages of medical personnel. Taiwan is promoting a new medical model centered on 'whole-person care,' driven by 'digital care' that integrates big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud technology to improve medical quality and efficiency. Taiwan combines its advantages in the information and communication technology industry with the foundation of its National Health Insurance, having long accumulated high-quality medical data that lays a crucial foundation for smart healthcare. Shih explained that the Taiwanese government has proposed a national digital medical platform, the '333 architecture,' which integrates three spaces, three standards, and three AI centers to build a complete digital health infrastructure. Under this framework, electronic medical records from over 400 hospitals nationwide are being integrated using international standards like FHIR to ensure data interoperability between hospitals. Under a Zero Trust security architecture, medical data can circulate safely and be used effectively. He noted that the results of these policies are gradually becoming apparent: in chronic disease management, the 'Family Doctor Big Platform' has introduced AI risk prediction to help doctors provide personalized care, shifting healthcare from passive treatment to proactive health management. In medical information integration, the MediCloud system provides real-time medical and medication information and enhances the visualization of examination results and smart medical image interpretation, improving medical quality and patient safety. In personal health management, the 'My Health Bank' has reached a penetration rate of over 50% and can be connected to wearable device data, promoting proactive health management among the public. In the digitalization of cancer treatment, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) data is exchanged through the FHIR standard, speeding up the review and medication process for major illnesses and improving treatment accessibility. Furthermore, the promotion of virtual NHI cards, electronic prescriptions, and telemedicine services has expanded care capacity in remote and home settings. Shih pointed out that Taiwan has established a complete governance system for medical AI development. For example, Taiwan has set up 19 national-level medical AI centers covering responsible governance, clinical validation, and impact assessment to ensure AI is safe and reliable from research to application. Currently, more than 50 medical AI products have been approved for use in early cancer detection, prediction of cardiac events, and clinical decision support. He stated that 13 Taiwanese hospitals were selected for Newsweek's 2026 list of the World's Best Smart Hospitals, ranking second in Asia and demonstrating international competitiveness. Moreover, Taiwan is promoting a federated learning platform to conduct cross-institutional and cross-national AI model validation without moving sensitive data, and has already cooperated with Southeast Asian partners to establish a trustworthy international data cooperation model. Shih stressed that practical experience proves Taiwan's ability to contribute to the international community. However, Taiwan continues to be unable to fully participate in relevant WHO mechanisms. Neither UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 nor WHA Resolution 25.1 mentions Taiwan, nor do they exclude Taiwan from the WHO and WHA. Therefore, Taiwan sincerely calls on the WHO and relevant stakeholders to support the inclusion of Taiwan in the global health system, to contribute to global health and well-being, and to jointly realize the WHO's constitutional principle that 'health is a fundamental human right' and the UN Sustainable Development Goal of 'Leave No One Behind.' (Editor: Wei Shu / Tang Sheng-yang)