President Chen Shui-bian attended this afternoon an event that honors this year's senior medical professionals, expressing the government and the people's gratitude to them. In addition, the President wished all medical workers happy Doctor's Day.
The President's remarks:
With gratitude and admiration, I attend this ceremony that honors senior medical workers in 2005. I take this opportunity to express on behalf of the government and people all over the country our highest respect and thankfulness to all of you for your longtime, unselfish contribution in protecting the health of the people.
You have carried on your shoulders patients' hope for regaining health. Relieving pains and illnesses of the people have been your career goals. Your painstaking efforts have been seen and felt by all people of Taiwan. While diseases know no boundaries, you have stood in the frontline and have guarded against viruses with unselfishness. And you have set examples for us to learn from.
Medical experts all over the world have issued warnings against avian flu for months. Given the potential that it might become a pandemic worldwide, health authorities at all levels, medical workers and the general public of Taiwan must all be on the alert and prevent the disease at all fronts. To protect the lives of our people, the government is doing everything it could to introduce countermeasures and to guard against the flu from being spread. Among all the government's measures are "blockading the disease from being imported," "inspection and quarantine on borders," "educating disease prevention from the community level," and ensuring a "sound medical system." With all these efforts, the government aims to restrain the attacks of avian flu and to safeguard health of the people in Taiwan. There is so far no virus of the bird flu being found in Taiwan, so there is no need to be panic. What is vital for the time being is to maintain good hygiene and self-health management. Individual efforts, government's disease control, along with expertise of medical workers, shall help us survive the crisis of avian flu.
Taiwan's disease control has earned worldwide acknowledgement. According to a research report by the CLSA in April, of the 20 countries surveyed in the region, Taiwan is one of the three countries with the least of the possibilities of having the avian flu. The other two are Australia and Japan. Another international risk-assessment company based in Hong Kong also listed Taiwan, along with Australia and Japan, as three of the countries that have the best of the disease prevention efforts about the bird flu. From these results we see how our commitment and achievement in disease prevention have gained recognition internationally. And our medical teams are the contributors to these accomplishments. I hereby extend my highest regard and thankfulness to all of you, the senior medical experts. Thank you very much.