Being an active global partner: Taiwan's role in international health

In this new age of globalization, the interdependency between nations of the world has increased. In recent years, several health crises and environmental catastrophes have stricken the world, such as the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the disaster of tsunami in South Asia, or severe flood in East Africa. Events of this magnitude have heightened the awareness that healthcare should transcend national boundaries and the global disease prevention should not be a matter to be ignored. Taiwan also shares this vision and whishes to actively participate in international health activities. As such, Taiwan continuously provides assistance on health issues of global attention and offers emergency humanitarian medical aid in the face of natural and man-made disasters. Over the past decade, the international medical aid Taiwan has provided including public and private donations surpassed US$450 million, not to mention the healthcare services that hold more than monetary value. Our recent efforts include establishing TaiwanIHA (Taiwan International Health Action) and GMISS to further strengthen and coordinate our efforts in this regard. TaiwanIHA is in charge of dispatching emergency medical teams, and mobile and permanent medical missions overseas; whereas GMISS is responsible for coordinating the donation of medical equipments from Taiwan.