Chen's WHO bid garners praise from professionals

Medical yesterday collectively endorsed President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) initiative to apply for full membership of the WHO -- a measure that resonated well with the decade-long quest within the private sector to be part of global efforts in combating cross-border contagious diseases.

"The time is ripe. We have been seeking such an initiative for 10 years," said Wu Shuh-min (吳樹民), president of the Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance in Taiwan. "The pressure [of joining the WHO] is now mounting and the time has come to change our approach."

Wu that past experiences have shown that the so-called meaningful participation -- meaning that Taiwan should attend as many WHO-related meetings as possible regardless of title -- had not produced results and that sustained efforts to obtain full membership was the appropriate course of action.

"Health and human rights issues should be not politicized," he said. "We can't expect any goodwill gesture from China, but we have to know that we have taken the right path."

David Huang (黃偉峰), former deputy chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, tackled the problems following a memorandum of understanding signed between China and the WHO secretariat.

The memorandum dictated that Taiwan's participation in any WHO meetings would first need to be reviewed by the WHO, followed by a review by China. Taiwan would not be allowed to attend any meeting without first having secured the approval of both entities.

He said that the International Health Regulation of 2005, which helps monitor and control serious diseases, was scheduled to be implemented in June.

While WHO Director-General Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍) has described the regulation as a "no-gate policy" -- meaning that contagious diseases will be fully and effectively contained with the execution of the policy -- the memorandum between China and the WHO has created an opening in the gate as Taiwan has been excluded from the organization.

Taiwan's to the WHO under observer status has been turned down 10 times.

Asked Taiwan could not simply join the WHO as an observer, Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), director of Soochow University's department of political science, said there is no such thing as an observer at the WHO. An observer only exists when the World Health Assembly -- the forum through which the WHO is governed -- convenes, he said.

"Observer status is just a compromise," Lo said, adding that through this arrangement Taiwan was being discriminated against.

The foundation's executive director, Lin Shih-chia (林世嘉), said it was difficult for Taiwan to build a strong coalition among WHO members supporting its cause, as China has been blocking Taipei's efforts in every possible way.

Lin that Taiwan has only signed memorandums of understanding with the Czech Republic and the Philippines.

The foundation said in a statement yesterday that a survey conducted last year by Focus Survey Research had shown that 71.2 percent of Taiwanese believe the nation should strive to obtain full WHO membership.