TAIWAN, (Taiwan Today) – President Lai Ching-te said December 17 that Taiwan is set to apply for the World Health Organization’s hepatitis C elimination certification by the end of 2025, highlighting government commitment to safeguarding public health and sharing its experience with the world.
President Lai made the remarks while attending a news conference announcing the achievement in Taipei City. Taiwan hit the target five years ahead of the WHO’s schedule, leading the way in Asia and ranking among the best in the world, he added.
He noted Taiwan was the first country to launch a hepatitis B vaccination program in 1984, followed by the establishment of a national office for hepatitis C elimination in 2016. Since 2017, new direct-acting antiviral medications have been covered under the National Health Insurance system, significantly reducing the cost for treatment, he said, adding that around 176,000 citizens have taken the medicine to date, with a cure rate of 98.4 percent.
According to Lai, the Taiwan Hepatitis C Policy Guideline was approved in 2018 during his term as premier, promoting precision public health policies with tailored prevention measures for different regions and demographics. The government also set up a cross-ministry progress network to integrate public-private information and boost the innovation and efficiency of eradication policies, he said.
The president went on to say that Taiwan’s work in eliminating hepatitis C has been recognised by the Singapore-based APAC Liver Disease Alliance, receiving top scores in the national action plan, funding, political commitment and implementation of elimination effort categories.
Building a healthy Taiwan is one of the government’s top priorities, Lai said, citing the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee established last year and initiatives like the Long-term Care Plan 3.0. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan continues to contribute to the world’s public health system, he added, vowing to work with countries worldwide to deal with challenges such as cancer and transnational infectious diseases to promote health for all.
