Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) yesterday rebutted remarks made by a department official that Taiwan received food safety-related information from the WHO via China, but expressed the wish that Taiwan could be included in the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN).
Taiwan has obtained such information directly from the WHO ever since being incorporated into the International Health Regulations (IHR) last year, Yaung said, adding that this has ensured the nation’s direct communication with the WHO.
“Of course we wanted to join INFOSAN, but the IHR is more important than INFOSAN,” he said.
Yaung made the remarks when asked to respond to comments from Kang Jaw-jou (康照洲), director-general of the Department of Health’s Food and Drug Administration, in a recent Central News Agency (CNA) report.
The CNA report from Geneva on Thursday quoted Kang as saying in a public statement at a WHA commission that Taiwan hoped to join INFOSAN because at present the nation could only receive related information from China.
Yaung said that Taiwan has smooth communication channels with the WHO, citing his recent visits to EU Food and Drug Administration offices based in Brussels and Geneva.
The DOH minister returned from the 63rd annual WHA meeting on Thursday.
Yaung said that he held meetings with his counterparts from nine counties, including China, the US, Haiti, Guatemala and Honduras.
During the WHA meeting, the nation’s delegation of 15 experts made statements on 12 issues including pandemic influenza preparedness, implementation of the IHR, food safety, viral hepatitis, organ transplants and climate change, among others, Yaung said.
He said US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius had sent a letter to WHO Secretary-General Margaret Chan (陳馮富珍) supporting expanded participation in WHO activities and mechanisms for Taiwan. He said he believed this would help Taiwan move toward full membership in the organization.
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