SITTING ON SIDELINES: Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung said that he questioned the ability of the WHO to ‘walk the talk,’ the organization’s goal this year
Taipei Times
Date: May 22, 2019
By: Lee I-chia and Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporters
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) yesterday said that he feels as
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung, second left, and officials watch a World Health Assembly (WHA) event on the screen at a news conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday to promote Taiwan’s WHA bid.Photo: CNA
if he is watching a satire when members of the World Health Assembly (WHA) talk about “health for all” and “leaving no one behind,” while Taiwan is left sitting outside the meeting venue.
Chen said he was deeply saddened that the more than 23 million people of Taiwan, which was not invited to attend this year’s meeting, are being left out of the WHA, and he questioned the ability of the WHO to “walk the talk” — a goal that the organization set for itself this year.
An international news conference that the delegation held at noon was successful, he said, adding that several reporters even asked questions about cross-strait relations.
At the news conference, the delegation played a video clip of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) saying that “health for all is a powerful concept, but only if we work together to make it a reality. So if you believe in that idea, please use your platform to speak up for Taiwan, because Taiwan can help.” [FULL STORY]
