Referring to Daily Sabah’s news article on May 1 entitled “Türkiye’s health tourism gets major upgrade for safety, quality,” which highlights Türkiye’s plan to overhaul its health tourism regulations, it is clear the country has made a commendable step forward in raising the standards of global medical services. With an emphasis on patient safety, quality assurance and digital integration, Türkiye is setting a robust example not only for the country’s medical services but also for the global movement toward safer, more equitable and patient-centered care.
We appreciate these reforms and see them as emblematic of a global health trend: The recognition that quality, safety and equity must drive modern health care systems. The same principles have been embedded in our health care development for decades in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s 30-year journey
Launched in 1995, Taiwan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) system now covers 99.9% of the population. It integrates various occupational insurance schemes into one unified, single-payer system, offering comprehensive and affordable medical services to everyone, regardless of income, age or geography. Operating on a pay-as-you-go model and funded through payroll-based premiums supplemented by strategic taxes like the tobacco health surcharge, the NHI is both financially sustainable and socially stabilizing.
For seven consecutive years, Taiwan has ranked first globally in Numbeo’s Health Care Index, reflecting not only public satisfaction but also the system’s transparency, efficiency and accessibility. The cost-to-quality ratio remains among the best in the world, and patients are empowered to choose their own providers and receive timely care without long waits — an issue Türkiye also aims to address under its new performance-based evaluation criteria for international health tourism.
Digital health, smart medicine
As Türkiye mandates digital platforms to monitor service quality and expand remote health care services, Taiwan’s own digital health infrastructure also offers a compelling example of what’s possible when innovation is fully integrated into policy. Our NHI cloud system allows seamless medical data sharing among providers, enhancing efficiency, reducing redundancies and supporting AI-assisted diagnostics.
The rollout of digital tools like the virtual health insurance card and the “My Health Bank” app allows individuals to monitor their own health records in real time. These tools improve patient autonomy, facilitate chronic disease management, and contribute to a data-rich health care environment that supports research, planning and personalized medicine.
Moreover, Taiwan adheres to international interoperability standards such as the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), which further support our desire to engage and share with global health systems – a natural complement to Türkiye’s ambitions to create a globally recognized, digitally enabled health tourism ecosystem.
Health equity, community care
Both Türkiye and Taiwan recognize that modern health care must extend beyond hospitals and into communities. In Taiwan, we have advanced a family physician program and preventive health strategies, offering lifelong, holistic care that emphasizes early intervention, chronic disease control and aging in place. Our integrated long-term and palliative care systems reflect the same focus on patient dignity and well-being that Türkiye articulates in its recent reforms.
Health equity is not merely a domestic goal but a moral imperative with global implications. Taiwan believes that no one should be left behind due to financial, geographic or political barriers. This belief underpins our health policies and also drives our international outreach.
Contributions to global health
Despite facing political challenges, Taiwan has never wavered in its commitment to global health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we donated over 54 million medical masks and other essential supplies to countries in need, including Türkiye. We shared our pandemic management expertise, contact-tracing technologies and hospital infection control strategies with nations across five continents because we believe that health is a shared responsibility for all.
Taiwan’s experience in achieving universal health coverage, managing health financing and leveraging digital health has valuable insights for many countries facing demographic and resource pressures. Our 2008 adoption of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has enhanced evidence-based policymaking, allowing for more efficient allocation of resources and timely adoption of innovative treatments. In 2023, we began reimbursing gene and cell therapies under the NHI, marking a new chapter in precision medicine and equitable access to cutting-edge care.
Need for inclusion in the WHO
Unfortunately, Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO) and its decision-making processes has been consistently obstructed. This is based on a misinterpretation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, which only addressed China’s representation in the U.N., not Taiwan’s status – and certainly not its participation in specialized agencies like the WHO.
This politicization of global health endangers not only the 23.5 million people of Taiwan but also the international community. The WHO Constitution affirms health as a fundamental human right and calls for the “highest attainable standard of health” for everyone. Excluding Taiwan contradicts these principles and weakens the very foundation of multilateral health cooperation.
Taiwan does not seek membership in the WHO for political validation, but for the chance to contribute constructively to global health goals – including the WHO’s 14th General Programme of Work (2025-2028), which prioritizes universal health coverage and emergency preparedness.
Call for partnership, progress
Türkiye and Taiwan, though geographically distant, share a vision for what 21st-century health care can and should be: patient-centered, digitally enabled, equitable and internationally cooperative. As Türkiye aspires to become a global hub for health tourism and innovation, Taiwan stands ready to collaborate – whether in medical education, smart hospital design, digital platforms or global standard-setting.
We urge the WHO and its member states to recognize Taiwan’s contributions and potential. Inclusion in the World Health Assembly and WHO activities – particularly those related to pandemic preparedness and digital health – is not just fair, it is urgently necessary.
Health crises do not respect borders. They demand solidarity, knowledge-sharing and inclusivity. Let us work together – Türkiye, Taiwan and the global community – to build a future where health care is borderless, innovation is shared and no one is left behind.