World Health Assembly opens without Taiwan

World Health Assembly opens without Taiwan

2023-05-22

The World Health Assembly opened on Sunday in Geneva, once again without Taiwan. Even so, Taiwan is making its voice heard. Health minister Hsueh Jui-yuan
held a press conference in Geneva, saying that Taiwan’s exclusion was contrary to the WHO’s goal of achieving health for all. Taiwan’s representatives also joined forums on the sidelines of the general assembly. Premier Chen Chien-jen shared Taiwan’s COVID experience via videoconference.

At the WHA’s opening on Sunday, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom called for a global pandemic treaty.

Tedros Adhanom
WHO director general
The pandemic accord that member states are now negotiating must be a historic agreement to make a paradigm shift in global health security recognizing that our fates are interwoven.

Taiwan will likely not be part of this high-stakes agreement, as Taiwan was once again excluded from this year’s WHA. One hour before the start of the assembly, a Taiwan delegation held a press conference, where the health chief appealed to the WHO.

Hsueh Jui-yuan
Health minister
Excluding Taiwan from the WHO not only jeopardizes the right to health of the 23.5 million people of Taiwan. It also seriously undermines the WHO’s effort to achieve health for all.

A lawmaker and an activist thanked Taiwan’s supporters, saying Taiwan had much to contribute and should not be left out.

Chiu Tai-yuan
DPP lawmaker
Together with the international community, Taiwan can and will continue to contribute more in the post-pandemic era.

Lin Shih-chia
Foundation of Medical Professionals Alliance
And this year we have witnessed nearly 500 Taiwanese people coming from different parts of the world to show their support. This is the largest number.

At an event later on Sunday, the health minister had words of encouragement for Taiwan.

Hsueh Jui-yuan
Health minister
We should not be discouraged. We have more and more friends and support at our side. One day, the circumstances will change. One day, we may be able to turn things around.

Taiwan officials joined health forums held on the sidelines of the WHA. At one event, Premier Chen Chien-jen shared Taiwan’s COVID experience via videoconference.

Chen Chien-jen
Premier
A PHEIC (public health emergency of international concern) needs to be announced quickly, transparently and widely. The World Health Organization should play a better coordinating role with professionalism and political neutrality.

Wong Chi-huey
Former Academia Sinica president
In 2019, it became a global pandemic, which infected more than 750 million people.

Earlier in the day, the World Medical Association, Taiwan Medical Association, and Taiwan’s health ministry hosted a breakfast meeting where officials argued for Taiwan’s inclusion.

台灣被排除在WHA之外薛瑞元勉勵別氣餒

2023-05-22

衛福部組團前往瑞士日內瓦，期盼爭取加入本屆WHA世界衛生大會，並針對台灣被排除在WHO之外，發出抗議。行政院長陳建仁和中研院前院長翁啟惠，也以視訊和親自出席周邊會議，儘管本屆WHA已經開議，世衛秘書長譚德塞強調大流行協議，必須是全球性的歷史性協議，團長薛瑞元出席台灣之夜活動時，仍勉勵台灣人別氣餒，終有一天氣氛會翻轉。

WHA開議，世衛祕書長譚德塞為疫情後的全球健康合作，做出預告。

[[世衛秘書長譚德塞]]
“會員國現正磋商中的這項大流行病協議，必須是一項在全球衛生安全上，典範轉移的歷史性協議，基於體認到我們命運交織”

只是這項大流行病協議，台灣恐怕難以參與，因為本屆WHA仍然拒絕台灣參加，就在開議前一小時，台灣世衛行動團召開記者會，衛福部長薛瑞長向WHO喊話。

[[衛福部長薛瑞元]]
“將台灣排除在WHO之外，不僅戕害2350萬名台灣人的健康權，也嚴重危及WHO，追求全人類健康覆蓋的目標”

立委和民團也到場發聲，不僅感謝各方支持，也指出台灣有能力貢獻，不應被排除在外。

[[立委(民) 邱泰源]]
“和國際社群一起，在後疫情時代，台灣可以繼續貢獻”

[[台灣醫界聯盟基金會執行長林世嘉]]
“今年我們看到將近500名的臺灣人，從世界各地前來聲援，這是人數最多的一年”

團長薛瑞元出席台灣之夜時，也勉勵國人。

[[世衛行動團團長薛瑞元]]
“我們沒什麼要氣餒的，越來越多的朋友，越來越多的支持，有一天整個氣氛就會改變，有一天可能可以翻轉過來”

至於日內瓦當地周邊健康論壇，也持續舉辦，行政院長陳建仁視訊出席，分享台灣抗疫經驗。

[[行政院長陳建仁]]
“國際關注緊急公衛事件，必須要宣布快速的、透明的、廣泛的，世衛組織要扮演協調角色，必須維持政治中立”

[[中研院前院長翁啟惠]]
“在2019年發生了全球大流行，感染超過7.4億人”

而早在WHA開議前，世界醫師會、台灣醫師會及台灣衞福部三方也進行早餐會。

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Joseph Wu
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Joseph Wu
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Besides crossing swords with the legislator, the foreign minister also rejected Elon Musk’s recent remarks on Taiwan. Musk said that “the official policy of China is that Taiwan should be integrated,” and that “there’s a certain inevitability to the situation.”

Joseph Wu
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China threatens Taiwan, without regard to the fact that Taiwan is a free and democratic society. This matter should be decided by the people of Taiwan.

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Joseph Wu
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I think that this statement does not match the expectations of our people. Taiwan’s 23 million people are excluded from the WHO. Director General Tedros should accept Taiwan and allow Taiwan to be an observer at the WHA.

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How to make money from YouTube: a guide by finance expert Allen Chen

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Allen Chen walks into a room, sits down and takes out his laptop, and he’s ready to roll.

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Allen Chen
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Allen Chen
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Some people can’t solve their issue by watching videos. So, some send me a direct message, or they fill in a form I have, to book a consultation with me.

If Chen breaks his income down, 20% of it comes from media. The biggest earner is financial consultations, which comprise 40% of his income. Financial planning is 20%, and the final 20% is online courses.

Chen recommends that rookie YouTubers find three to five areas of expertise, and post regularly to test the waters and see what viewers like. That’s how to quickly zero in on a profitable niche.

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Cheng Ching-mu
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When he got home and opened the suitcase, he saw it had been smashed, and he was horrified. So he came and found me straight away.

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Cheng Ching-mu
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Chai Huan-hsin
Photonics Industry and Technology Development Association
The likelihood of them complying is not high. China is the biggest client for both Samsung and SK Hynix. They won’t just pull out of the Chinese market just because of the U.S.-China trade war or these chip wars.

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Sixty-year-old Lee Tsai-wei lifts a 115-kilo barbell into the air in a clean sweep.

Last year, she competed at the Asian Classic Powerlifting Championships, clinching four gold medals. In 2022, a Taiwanese deadlifting competition was graced by the participation of this 90-year-old grandmother, Ling Chou-cha. She lifted 62.5 kilos.

Ling Chou-cha (Dec. 10, 2022)
Nonagenarian powerlifter
My grandson takes me to the gym once a week.

We spoke to fitness coach Danny, who says lifting weights and fitness training are great for older adults. It can prevent muscle loss and slow down the aging process.

Danny
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I normally look first at whether they have any history of injuries. If they do, then they will have some discomfort in their joints, and there will definitely be some actions they should avoid. If it’s just their muscles that are limited, then it’s a question of expanding their mobility, so that they’re not in pain during training.

But if it’s your first time entering a gym and you have absolutely no regular exercise routine, it pays to be cautious. A coach will first check your history of injuries, and get you started with beginner moves like the squat. Gradually you can add more weight. Of course, some people can go straight for the barbells.

Danny
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I had an older student who was in his 60s. At the start he had poor mobility in his thoracic spine, and in his hips. When I first showed him how to squat, he couldn’t complete the movement correctly, basically. We gradually corrected the movements. For example, we got him doing exercises with light dumbbells. Now he can lift barbells of 50 or 60 kilos.

The gym is not just for youngsters! When older adults get support from a knowledgeable coach, they can make a fitness plan that will take care of injuries while building up strength. With the correct technique, and perseverance, you can reach your personal best in your twilight years.

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