President Wu, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am pleased to learn that the opening ceremony of the 22nd Confederation of Medical Associations of Asia and Oceania (CMAAO) Congress and its 37th Council Meeting is taking place in Taipei. It is an honor for me to attend the event. First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest admiration to all medical staff for your dedication and hard work.
Meanwhile, I would like to extend a warm welcome to those distinguished guests who have come from afar.
Since its establishment in 1959, the CMAAO has been devoted to promoting the development of medical technology in Asia. The CMAAO has actively organized various international medical programs, with the objective of exchanging the latest professional knowledge and experience. Your contributions to bettering human health and lives have gained widespread recognition. As a founding member country of the CMAAO, we organized the 6th and 11th Congress in 1969 and 1979 respectively. Now, we are delighted to have this opportunity to organize the 22nd Congress and 37th Council Meeting, which, we believe, is conducive to enhancing our international status and promoting our medical achievements. This event bears great significance in furthering exchanges of international professionals through bringing together elite medical professionals from home and abroad.
As scientific civilization advances, medical hygiene has become an important barometer of the modernization and progress of a country. Advanced countries attach great importance to building a quality environment for medical care, and we are not an exception. To cope with the changes of the social structure and medical environment, and ensure the even distribution of medical services for our people, our government has implemented the National Health Insurance plan, and expedited the project of establishing the medical care network. Such efforts show our sincerity to care for the health of our people and our commitment to enhancing the well-being of our people. The aforementioned medical programs constitute an important milestone on our way to develop into a welfare state, which can be achieved only through the full support and cooperation of our population.
Over the years, our various programs of medical care have achieved remarkable success as a result of the concerted efforts of the public sector and all medical staff. As a member of the global village, we are more than willing to fulfill our responsibility. We would like to participate in international organizations and activities, so that we can provide health care services to the areas where they are most needed. Therefore, in the future, we will continue to actively participate in the programs regarding the maintenance of health and hygiene all over the world. Moreover, we will dedicate ourselves to joining the World Health Organization (WHO) and share the “Taiwan Experience” with people all over the world, thus contributing to the health of mankind. I sincerely hope that each of you will exert your influence to support our bid to join the WHO.
To our regret, Dr. Lee Chen-yuan, our excellent doctor and friend, passed away last week. A well-known authority on venom research, Dr. Lee was elected president of the International Society on Toxinology, the first person from Taiwan to hold this position. In later life, he put more efforts into promoting Taiwan's bid to join the WHO. Although he has left us, he is an eternal paragon. Let us continue our efforts to fulfill his goals.
Two days following this meeting is Doctors' Day, which falls on November 12. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all medical staff good health and happiness. Once again, I thank all of you and welcome those who have come from afar. In closing, I wish the event great success and each of you good health and the best of everything. Thank you.