By Martin Banks - 6th April 2009
I think the EU could learn a lot from us
Jih-Haw Chou
A Brussels conference was told that EU member states could learn from the "Asian model" in tackling serious health outbreaks like SARS and Avian influenza.
The one-day event also heard that Taiwan's continued exclusion from organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) impairs the international community's attempt to address major health issues.
According to WHO data, 30 countries from across four continents have been hit by SARS, a serious respiratory disease.There have been 8,437 reported cases and 813 deaths.
Taiwanese heath expert Jih-Haw Chou outlined to the Brussels seminar what his country had done to prepare for a possible pandemic in the future.
"I call it the five 'I's – information, identification, isolation, infrastructure and international cooperation," he said.
"We like to ensure we pass on the correct information to the public, identify those most at risk and isolate those affected as quickly as possible. The correct health infrastructure is important as is international cooperation on the issue."
He said there were fears that the global economic crisis threatened to adversely affect attempts to tackle contagious diseases.
"Any reduction in national healthcare budgets as a result of the current fiscal crisis is likely to result in reduced resources being made available to tackle such diseases. Also, the international community may find it simply cannot afford the cost of stockpiling the antivirus which is necessary to tackle a possible pandemic."
Chou, from the Centre for disease control in Taipei, added, "We in Asia have had a lot of experience in addressing these issues - the so-called 'Asian model' - and I think the EU could learn a lot from us."
The event on Friday was organised by the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI) and the Taipei Representative Offices in Paris and Brussels and brought together a range of health experts.
It was opened by Shen Lyushun, of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, who once again stressed that Taiwan was keen to share its experience in tackling health outbreaks like Avian influenza with the rest of the world.
Despite its repeated attempts, Taiwan continues to be excluded from international organisations like the WHO.
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