U.S. congressman introduces bill to help Taiwan participate in WHO

Washington, July 21 (CNA) U.S. Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, has introduced a bill that seeks to help Taiwan participate in World Health Organization (WHO) meetings, according to a statement by his office.

The draft bill is focused on improving the U.S. strategy for promoting Taiwan’s participation in the WHO, the statement said. It instructs the Secretary of State to report on the State Department’s efforts to obtain observer status for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly (WHA), following any meetings of the assembly for which Taiwan was not granted such status.

The WHA, which is the WHO’s decision-making body, meets annually to discuss health issues of global concern and to formulate policies.

“With an ever growing and increasingly connected global population, it is important that we not let geopolitics get in the way of public health,” Yoho said in the statement.

[FULL  STORY]