TAIWAN, August 28 - On the afternoon of August 27, President Lai Ching-te presided over the eighth meeting of the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee. In his opening statement, the president said that achieving universal healthcare coverage is a necessary condition for building a sustainable and resilient nation. He noted that through the 15 core strategies of the national action plan for indigenous peoples’ health resilience, the government is actively enhancing local medical capacities, building a feeling of cultural safety, and fostering tribal talent to promote health equity.
The president also announced that in October of this year, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) will launch the Health Coins policy, which will use a reward mechanism to encourage citizens to make healthy behaviors a part of everyday life. He stated that through the government’s establishment of the system, and the joint participation of the public and private sectors, we will work together to create an ecosystem that promotes public health, as well as a healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient Taiwan.
A translation of President Lai’s opening statement follows:
This month marks two years since the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee was established, and today is the first time the members of the third committee have convened.
In appointing committee members for this term, we have purposefully expanded the number of experts and scholars from related fields in the private sector, incorporating professional expertise in public health, dementia and long-term care, as well as medical research. Through even more diverse perspectives, we look forward to providing more forward-looking recommendations for health policy.
You are all very familiar with the newly appointed advisor and committee members here with us today. I will introduce them one by one, so please welcome them with a round of applause.
First is Advisor Sytwu Huey-kang (司徒惠康), president of the National Health Research Institutes. Next are our new committee members: Chen Hsiang-kuo (陳相國), chairman of the Taiwan Medical Association; Su Shou-yi (蘇守毅), chairman of the National Union of Chinese Medical Doctors’ Association; Hsu Yu-shan (許有杉), chairman of the New Taipei City Pharmacists Association; Cheng Shou-hsia (鄭守夏), distinguished professor at National Taiwan University’s College of Public Health; and Tsuann Kuo (郭慈安), a deputy superintendent at Chung Shan Medical University Hospital. Once again, welcome, everyone. Let us work together to contribute our knowledge and efforts to Taiwan’s health policies.
For today’s meeting, the first agenda item is the national action plan for indigenous peoples’ health resilience, which is related to both health equity and national resilience.
The prosperous coexistence of diverse groups is a precious asset for Taiwan. This includes indigenous peoples, who laid the foundation of Taiwan’s rich historical and cultural heritage.
However, statistics show a 7.54-year gap in average life expectancy between indigenous peoples and the general population. This not only highlights that there is still room for greater efforts regarding health equity, but also reminds us that we must accelerate efforts to strengthen healthcare for our friends in indigenous communities.
Previously, during my tenure as premier, the government actively promoted the Indigenous Peoples Health Act in the legislature to ensure the health rights of indigenous peoples and reduce inequality in medical care. With joint efforts and support from both the ruling and opposition parties, the act was promulgated and entered into force in 2023, providing for generous budget allocations at the statutory level, expanding participation by indigenous peoples, and establishing a healthcare policy centered around indigenous peoples.
When I ran for president, I especially included strengthening health services for indigenous peoples as an important goal of the National Project of Hope and the Healthy Taiwan initiative. After I took office, the government has made every effort to make that happen.
Today, I am very pleased to see that through the 15 core strategies of the national action plan for indigenous peoples’ health resilience, the MOHW is actively enhancing local medical capacities, building a feeling of cultural safety, and fostering tribal talent so that healthcare networks tailored to each locality become the most reliable support system protecting the health of indigenous peoples.
Achieving universal healthcare coverage is a necessary condition for building a sustainable and resilient nation; ensuring healthcare for indigenous peoples is an indispensable and crucial piece of the puzzle in promoting health equity. I hope we will continue to work hard.
In addition, the core goal of the Healthy Taiwan initiative is not just to ensure that citizens live long lives, but that they live healthy lives.
Taiwan has already become a super-aged society, and chronic diseases have become a significant challenge to public health. Our health policies must also gradually shift from disease treatment to health promotion and preventive medicine, encouraging the public to actively establish healthy lifestyle habits.
Therefore, in October this year, the MOHW will launch the Health Coins policy. Using innovative digital health technology, it aims to encourage healthy behaviors through a reward mechanism so that more people will be willing to undergo health check-ups, cancer screenings, preventive healthcare, and health management, making healthy behaviors a part of everyday life.
Health Coins are not merely a health reward system. They are also a new model for the government’s promotion of digital health governance. Through the government’s establishment of the system, and the joint participation of the public and private sectors, we will work together to create an ecosystem that promotes public health.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my special thanks to the MOHW for their courage in creating innovative health and welfare policies. I also request that, later in the meeting, all advisors and committee members weigh in with their professional suggestions so that the government can advance various health policies on a steadier footing.
All our small steps for better health add up to a major advance toward national resilience. So, let us work together to create a healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient Taiwan.
Following his statement, President Lai heard a report on the progress of items listed in the seventh committee meeting from Executive Secretary and Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), a report on the national action plan for indigenous peoples’ health resilience from Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), and a report on Health Coins policy promotion planning from Health Promotion Administration Director General Shen Ching-fen (沈靜芬). Afterward, President Lai exchanged views with the committee members regarding the content of the reports.
