The WTO framework has allowed globalization to break through the barriers between countries and regions, allowing goods, services, talent, information and financial investments to freely circulate. The advantage is that the most efficient producers are able to provide goods or services to the world, so that global resources can be used in the most efficient way. But there are also disadvantages.
In terms of global healthcare, a contagious disease that appears in any corner of the world can spread to all major cities on the planet within 24 hours because of the massive and free flow of goods and people, as well as today's highly-developed transportation technologies. Thus, there are no boundaries for a contagious disease -- especially a mutated or newly-discovered contagion for which no cure has yet been found.
The cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) -- an atypical form of pneumonia -- this time are therefore unlikely to be a result of terrorist attacks. The world will severely suffer if terrorists spread the disease at any of the large-scale international airports in New York, Rome, Frankfurt or Tokyo. The impact would be much more serious compared to the current situation.
The best way for the world to fight the disease is to share information, so as to combat the illness with collaboration. The case of Nipah virus in Malaysia in 1999 was an example, as the Malaysian government quickly informed the international community about the epidemic. Experts from across the world -- including Taiwan -- all gathered in Malaysia to investigate the case while taking joint prevention measures.
Unfortunately, in terms of the atypical pneumonia this time, the situation in China is very unclear, even though the majority of cases were detected there. Moreover, it's indeed a pity that the WHO, which is famous for its humanitarian spirit, has no concrete response to Taiwan's call for help.
China's Minister of Health Zhang Wenkan (
After telling this big lie, if China still has some brotherly affection for the country, it should invite experts from the Department of Health to both Guangdong and Hong Kong to better understand the epidemic. It should also allow WHO experts to directly cooperate with Taiwan's doctors, so we can jointly battle with the fatal contagion, which is, after all, a non-political issue.
On the other hand, in addition to the assistance of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although official channels between Taiwan and the WHO and health agencies abroad have been blocked, various civil connections still remain. The general quality of our health experts is not bad, and many of them have international fame and good rapport with the world's medical circles. They should actively build regular channels of communication with related international agencies and scholars in accordance with the Department of Health's policy of coordination and integration.
Most importantly, "Relying upon oneself is better than relying upon others," as the saying goes. Nothing is as urgent as the prevention of this contagious disease. How can Taiwanese doctors be aware of and alert to the contagion? How can isolation wards of local hospitals be well-prepared for the possible crowds of atypical pneumonia patients? The public should also be alert to the new disease. They should go to a doctor once they experience any of the disease's symptoms. Hopefully, Taiwan's disease prevention system can deal with the crisis.
Yaung Chih-liang is vice president of Taichung Healthcare and Management University.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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