A Taiwanese delegation to the APEC health summit this week in Seoul headed by Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) discussed Taiwan’s experience in medical artificial intelligence (AI), healthy aging and youth mental health.
Taiwan has developed an AI model using data from the National Health Insurance program to assess patients’ risk of developing diabetes, allowing for earlier medical intervention when necessary, Shih said yesterday.
The model enables diabetic patients to receive personalized information and education regarding their symptoms, as well as suggestions for health management, he said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Health and Welfare
The delegation also introduced Taiwan’s three national AI centers — the Center for Responsible AI in Healthcare, the Center for External AI Validation in Healthcare and the Center for Clinical AI Impact Evaluation — which were established to foster a transparent, trustworthy and patient-centered ecosystem, Shih said.
The nation is to invested NT$120 billion (US$3.97 billion) between 2023 and next year under the Planned Response to Taiwan’s Ultra-Aged Society policy, with an emphasis on promoting autonomous and healthier lifestyles for the elderly, he said.
The nation’s second iteration of its long-term healthcare program has a service coverage rate of 85 percent, while the third iteration plans to incorporate innovative technology and build a comprehensive healthcare ecosystem that includes at-home care, medical assistance and social welfare programs, Shih said.
The delegation also talked about Taiwan’s national psychological resilience promotion project, aiming to improve general mental fortitude, he said.
The project would establish mental health learning platforms to promote mental welfare knowledge for specific age groups and provide three free mental consultation sessions annually for people aged 15 to 45, he added.
Shih held talks with representatives of major economies at the summit, and traded opinions on mental health, infectious disease prevention and medical technology issues.
The Taiwanese delegation also visited the offices of the South Korean National Health Insurance Service and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service to further understand the policies for national insurance and long-term healthcare in the nation.
Representatives of major economies attending the health summit also issued a joint statement titled “Connect, Innovate, Prosper: Building a Healthy, Smart and Aging-Responsive Society,” pledging to use digital health and AI services to set up cancer prevention from birth to death, to foster mental health and welfare, and to expand health-related collaborations within APEC for a healthier and more resilient Asia-Pacific region.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
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Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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