President William Lai on June 19 announced plans to establish the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee with the aim of optimizing the National Health Insurance, ensure its financial sustainability, promote holistic healthcare and advance a national plan for cancer prevention. The committee is expected to convene a meeting every three months presided over by President Lai, with Healthy Taiwan Promotion Alliance (HTPA) Convenor Chen Jyh-hong, Institute for Biotechnology and Medicine Industry (IBMI) President Wong Chi-huey, and Minister without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung acting as co-convenors.

Minister without Portfolio Chen said that the committee is part of preparatory efforts to meet President Lai’s electoral promises on health policy, emphasizing that his priorities in committee include promoting health through changes in lifestyle and habits, with IBMI President Wong concentrating on precision medicine, precision prevention and regenerative medicine, while HTPA Convener Chen will focus on clinical practice development and improving the working condition of health professionals.

Minister without Portfolio Chen also downplayed concerns that the committee’s remit will overlap with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and cause organizational overlap in the government, saying that continued discussions is a part of a democratic society. He also expressed confidence in communicating and coordinating with the relevant policymakers and avoiding redundancy in the government.

[2024-6-26/United Daily News]