Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian said Tuesday he is convinced that the Republic of China's wish to enter the World Health Organization (WHO) will soon be fulfilled after domestic efforts and stronger support from the international community.
The president made the remarks when receiving more than 30 members of a delegation comprised of overseas Chinese medical professionals at the Presidential Office.
The president noted that Taiwan spent 12 years working to be admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), which is achieved in January 1, 2002, but he said he is convinced that "so long as we don't give up, it will take much less time to achieve its goal of entering the WHO."
Taiwan's attempts to join the WHO as an observer were foiled this May at the World Health Assembly -- the top decision-making body of the WHO -- for the seventh straight year.
The president said that Taiwan faced an unprecedented challenge after being hit by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) earlier this year. He noted that the island was finally removed from the WHO's list of SARS-affected areas July 5 thanks to people in Taiwan and abroad who made a great contribution to combating the potentially deadly respiratory disease.
He noted that the most regrettable part for the Taiwan people in combating SARS was the island's being shut out of the WHO due to Beijing's obstruction, which he said made Taiwan's fight against the disease harder than that of most other countries.
The president said he is convinced that the issues of health and communicable disease prevention are borderless, stressing that political considerations should not be put before humanitarian causes or respect for human life.
Although noting that Taiwan's bid to enter the WHO suffered another blow this year, the president said that compared with previous years, Taiwan's cause won more sympathy and support. He also noted that nine diplomatic allies, including Palau, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Gambia, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Senegal and Panama, spoke in support of Taiwan's bid.
He added that U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson sent a letter to the WHO and later expressed strong support for Taiwan's bid to join the WHO as an observer in the May conference.
While welcoming the delegation of overseas Chinese medical professionals, Chen expressed the hope that the members will learn more about Taiwan's process in its battle against SARS during their stay in Taiwan.
He added that the government had asked all health institutions to map out standard procedure operations for dealing with communicable diseases so as to be fully prepared in the event of a resurgence of SARS this winter.