Following the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan, it became apparent that the government has fallen short in securing supplies of internationally approved vaccines. The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan released its "2021 Taiwan White Paper" during an online news conference on June 23. The paper suggested that the Taiwan government should develop a life-course immunization plan to improve the flexibility of Taiwan’s vaccination programs. In addition, the Taiwan government should refer to precedents set in the U.S., United Kingdom, Singapore, and Australia, and focus on ensuring the interoperability of technologies and harmonizing the standards for data exchange between various vaccine passport platforms so that certificates can be used and verified across borders.

The White Paper recommends for the Taiwan government to increase vaccine funding to cover life-course immunization and to explore multiple payment mechanisms to ensure sustainable financing. The government should expand the scope of the National Immunization Program (NIP) to include pediatric vaccinations and life-course vaccinations, as well as placing higher priority on the NIP. The investment will not only benefit the public but also allow National Health Insurance resources to be distributed more efficiently. Ensuring sufficient funding is a fundamental step in developing a successful life-course vaccination program.

The White Paper pointed out that the National Vaccine Fund (NVF) is currently facing financial challenges. According to the “Plan for Enriching the National Vaccine Fund and Promoting National Immunity,” formulated by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, treasury funds should account for 60 percent of the NVF. However, the actual average commitment over past five years was only 30-40 percent. In addition, due to wide fluctuations in the amount collected over the past several years, the tobacco surcharge has become an unstable source of funding for the NVF. To fulfill the recommendations proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Taiwan's health authorities need to secure at least an additional NT$1.03 billion for the NVF.

[2021-6-23/ Apple Daily]