The 77th World Health Assembly will take place on 27 May in Geneva, Switzerland.
Due to political pressure, Taiwan has not received an invitation to attend since 2017, despite its relevance to this year’s WHA theme (All for Health, Health for All), Taiwan being a global leader in healthcare and medicine.
Raising awareness of this issue within Filipino society, the Taiwanese community in the Philippines organized a first-ever rally that called on all sectors to support Taiwan’s participation in the WHA.
On 11 May, approximately 150 overseas Taiwanese, clad in “Taiwan Can Help” T-shirts, gathered in the heart of Manila to express their support.
Andrew Liang, president of the Taiwanese Compatriot Association in the Philippines, emphasized during the event that health transcends politics. Despite Taiwan’s exclusion from the WHA for many years, numerous international allies, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have voiced support for Taiwan’s participation in this year’s assembly as an observer.
He urged more Filipino and global friends to join the ranks in supporting Taiwan.
Ambassador Wallace Chow of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines highlighted Taiwan’s outstanding performance in global health care.
Taiwan ranked first in the world in the 2024 Healthcare Index (out of 110 countries and regions), which recognizes Taiwan as the top country in healthcare systems and various public health indicators.
He stressed that health is a universal human right and thanked international allies for their support, calling on the WHA to remain uninfluenced by political factors and to continue to exclude Taiwan.
The rally concluded on a high note with live band performances and the distribution of masks and informational pamphlets to Filipino citizens along the route.