The the World Health Organization’s (WHO) End TB Strategy envisions a world free of TB and proposes to protect affected families from facing catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis care. Tuberculosis care in Taiwan is partially covered by the NHI. Expenses not covered under the system are subsidized by the CDC to ensure a strong disease prevention and treatment network. CDC funding fully or partially covers latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screenings for TB contacts and TB high risk populations; TB patients not covered by NHI; second-line drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant TB; imported TB medications; TB screening in remote areas; and directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS), a WHO-recommended TB control strategy.

As a result of these subsidies, TB patients do not need to cover expenses for such measures as BCG vaccines, inpatient and outpatient services, LTBI (latent TB infection) treatment, case management and medication. In addition, to ensure safe and comprehensive treatment, social welfare mechanisms and local private sector organizations provide various forms of assistance like meals and transportation to financially disadvantaged patients.

To ensure high-quality and accessible medical care for HIV patients, Taiwan has designated a large number of hospitals and pharmacies as treatment centers. Moreover, Taiwan has implemented the Quality Improvement Project for Designated Medical Institutions to enable HIV patients to focus on self-care and adhere to their treatment regimens. The government promotes the internationally recommended treatment as first-line therapy, which comprises daily intake of a combination drug. All health care expenses for HIV patients are covered under the NHI or other government funds.

In line with the UNAIDS three zeros strategy (zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination) and 95-95-95 treatment targets (95% of those living with HIV will know their status, 95% of those who know their status will receive treatment, and 95% of those on treatment will be virally suppressed by 2030), Taiwan regularly launches public awareness initiatives about the disease to end stigmatization and help patients feel respected and accepted. At the same time, Taiwan strives to create a friendly screening and treatment environment while meeting UNAIDS goals and targets.

On Dec. 4, 1965, the eradication of malaria in Taiwan was certified by the WHO. To safeguard this status, the CDC continues to implement measures including border quarantine and tracking; surveillance and screening; and maintaining malaria laboratory diagnosis capabilities. It also imports antimalarial drugs for self-paid prescriptions at travel clinics. The CDC urges those planning to visit high-risk regions to schedule an appointment with such clinics and take medications as instructed.

An International Health Regulations national focal point was launched as the designated liaison with WHO headquarters after Taiwan was incorporated into the IHR operation mechanism (2005) in 2009. This liaison is charged with reporting major public health events to the WHO, receiving such information from other countries through the IHR Event Information Site and facilitating cross-border communication and referral for cases of major infectious diseases. From 2023, the government has also established IHR core capacities at eight international airports and ports. In an effort to continue promoting local capabilities, the government will also conduct an annual self-evaluation as well as an external evaluation every five years to ensure the ports’ sustainable development and ability to respond to emergent public health security threats.

In 2018, one designated airport and port—Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Port of Kaohsiung—were evaluated by EU experts based on WHO guidelines and the Joint External Evaluation Tool (JEE). Both facilities received full marks in recognition of their IHR core capabilities and sustainable development. As part of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was declared as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the WHO, seven designated airports and ports in Taiwan meeting IHR core capacity requirements helped Taiwan respond to the pandemic and ensured smooth communication among personnel and mobilization of workers. As a result, the risk of importing COVID-19 into Taiwan was significantly reduced, allowing economic activity and people’s daily lives to proceed with minimal interruption.

Based on WHO guidelines, in 2016 the government contracted U.S. experts and adopted the IHR 2005: Joint External Evaluation Tool to conduct an external evaluation of the country’s emergency response capabilities to address public health threats. Among the 48 indicators, Taiwan was found to possess developed or sustainable capacities in 42. Taiwan is the eighth country in the world to have completed such an assessment.

The CDC vigilantly kept track of information concerning cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. On December 31, 2019, Taiwan sent an email to the International Health Regulations (IHR) focal point under the WHO, informing the WHO of its understanding of the disease and requesting further information. In the official report of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) submitted to the 74th World Health Assembly in 2021, this notification was considered one of the three means by which the WHO became aware of the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Taiwan has continued to exchange case information with the WHO and other countries through the International Health Regulations (IHR) channel. Taiwan has also actively participated in COVID-19-related expert meetings held by the WHO to stay up to date with the latest international research and developments, public health, evidence-based medicine and other information. As a result, Taiwan has developed closer interactions with the IHR contact points of various countries and demonstrated its infectious disease prevention and control efforts to the international community.