Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As indicated by a number of colleagues before me, the question of Taiwan’s admission as an observer to the World Health Organisation is a health issue. It is not a political issue. That point should be made perfectly clear to all members of this House. Taiwan is a thriving democracy of 23 million people. This is a population larger than three-quarters of the member states of the WHO itself. From this fact alone, denying the citizens of Taiwan the right to international health through the WHO is essentially placing a significant proportion of the world’s population at risk. For a group of 23 million people who are facing some extreme situations, especially related to avian influenza, granting Taiwan observership status in the World Health Assembly is a matter of principle. Dr Lee Jong-Wok, Director-General of the WHO, has stated publicly that all members of the international community should work together to share information and expertise in relation to avian influenza.

For Taiwan to be an effective contributor to this global prevention and containment effort, its participation in the WHA is vital. Taiwan has a world-class health care system that has been recognised internationally. Its citizens enjoy the highest life expectancy in Asia, with very low maternal and infant mortality rates. The government has eradicated diseases such as cholera and smallpox completely. Taiwan has also demonstrated its willingness to share its excellent resources with the rest of the world through the provision of development aid. It donated over $US120 million in medical supplies and humanitarian relief to 78 countries, spanning five continents, from 1995 to 2002. Moreover, the fact that its government has continued to do this while being excluded from the WHO is evidence of Taiwan’s strong commitment to international health care.

The SARS experience in 2003 illustrates the vital importance of a fully integrated global response system regarding international health emergencies. Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHO delayed the provision of assistance from the WHO by seven weeks and as such severely hampered Taiwan’s efforts in containing the spread of SARS within its borders. The catastrophic result was the death of over 70 Taiwanese citizens, constituting almost one-fifth of the world’s total SARS fatalities. Had Taiwan been included in the WHO, these deaths could have been avoided.

Taiwan is located at an important juncture for the movement of both goods and people in East Asia, with nearly eight million outbound and three million inbound travellers annually. This places Taiwan at the crossroads of any infectious disease outbreak in the region. Taiwan is Australia’s 10th largest trading partner and accounts for 3.1 per cent of Australia’s total trade. Moreover, in the 12 months to August 2005, 109,000 Taiwanese tourists visited Australia. If avian influenza were to affect the Taiwanese population, the effect on the health of Australian citizens, not to mention our trade and economy, could be disastrous. The rules of procedure of the WHA formally allow through several mechanisms for the participation of observers in the activities of the organisation. There are a number of precedents for such participation, as the former speaker said in her speech, that include the Holy See, the Palestinian Territories and the Red Cross.

Taiwan does not seek membership status at the WHO. It seeks only to become an observer according to the rules of the WHA, rules which give effect to the fact that participation in the WHO is a health and humanitarian issue, not a political one. The time has come to allow Taiwan to participate in the WHO. The European Parliament enacted a resolution supporting Taiwan’s bid for observer status in the WHA last week, and I hope very much it is passed. In light of the growing threat of an avian influenza pandemic, it is increasingly evident that Taiwan’s non-participation in the WHO places at risk not only its 23 million citizens but also the health security of people around the world. This issue is about reducing serious health threats. I urge members to give this matter serious consideration and to support Taiwan’s bid to become an observer to the WHO.

See this speech in context