（中文說明請見下方）

Since 2009, Taiwan has been invited by the WHO to participate as an observer to its World Health Assembly (WHA). In 2017, with neither the discussion nor decision of any member state of the Organisation, based on no legal basis, Taiwan was no longer invited to attend the WHA ever since.

The situation of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in China has been rapidly escalating in the past few weeks, leading to WHO’s declaration of a global health emergency. Taiwan, as the front line of defence against the 2019-nCoV, was not invited to attend WHA 2020, nor to the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee meeting, where critical discussion of the 2019-nCoV outbreak took place. The exclusion of Taiwan from international health dialogues is political in nature and has put 23.7 million Taiwanese lives at risk, an action that blatantly goes against the principles of WHO and the 2020 annual theme of the WHA, namely “Health for All” and the “Right to Health” for all global citizens.



As the Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs stated in 2018,

“We have millions of passengers coming through Taiwan every year and therefore if there is an outbreak, we need to get the most updated information as soon as possible. Otherwise, Taiwan can be easily affected. We need the WHO’s guidance in dealing with this situation, and excluding Taiwan is going to put neighbouring countries in great jeopardy as well.”

In the case of 2019-nCoV, obstructing Taiwan from joining the WHO and participating in major virus conferences has not only put Taiwanese lives at incredible risk but also undermined the health and security of citizens and nationals of the Asian-Pacific region.

Recalling Taiwan’s contributions in managing the SARS outbreak in 2003, this petition would like to remind the global community of Taiwan’s knowledge and experiences in managing SARS pandemics. The Taiwanese National Healthcare System has been deemed exemplary worldwide, which is sufficient evidence of Taiwan’s robust health institutions. Taiwan is more than capable of using its experiences and expertise to actively support WHO member states in achieving health-related UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and can undoubtedly contribute to the management of the 2019-nCoV outbreak.

Lastly, earlier this week, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, both expressed their countries’ support towards Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the WHA. Both Prime Ministers have stated that inviting Taiwan to join the meetings would be in the best interest of the global health community. With this in mind, this petition calls on the WHO to invite Taiwan to attend the WHA 2020 and other critical 2019-nCoV meetings immediately.

從2009年至2016年間，臺灣曾多次受世界衛生組織（WHO）的邀請，以觀察員的身份參加世界衛生大會（WHA）。然而，在2017年時，在未經任何WHO會員國的討論、決策與法律依據的情況下，臺灣未收到參加WHA的邀請。至此之後，臺灣就被這全球重要的醫衛多邊會議屏除在外直至今日。

目前於中國爆發的武漢肺炎（2019新型冠狀病毒）已造成全球數千人感染，病情橫跨25國，情勢愈加令人擔憂，更在稍早被WHO宣布為「全球危機」。而臺灣，即便首當其衝，且身為國際防禦此次傳染病的重要夥伴，卻不僅未被邀請參加2020WHA，也未受邀出席武漢肺炎緊急會議（the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee）。WHO此舉，實為棄臺灣2378萬人民的健康於不顧，且再再違反WHO主張之「消弭健康不平等」、「保障人民健康權利」等宗旨！

外交部長吳釗燮更曾於2018年表示：「臺灣身為亞洲重要交通樞紐，每年有數以百萬計的旅客行經臺灣，我們需要零時差的接收最新醫衛、傳染病防護網資訊，才能保障這些旅客，及所有鄰近國家和地區的安全。」尤其在武漢肺炎情形嚴峻的現在，阻擋臺灣加入WHO及參與國際防疫重要會議，實則是將廣大居住在臺灣的國際人口及整體亞太地區的健康安全，皆暴露在極高風險之下！

不僅如此，以健保、醫療衛生系統的高品質與容易取得性、及傳染病防治能力聞名世界的臺灣，不僅能夠透過分享其醫衛專業和經驗來積極協助與支持WHO與其會員國，並用以達成醫療衛生相關的聯合國永續發展目標（SDGs），臺灣更可運用2003年成功防治SARS的寶貴經驗，貢獻於此次武漢肺炎的全球防疫當中，為世界貢獻心力！

近期，加拿大總理杜魯道（Justin Trudeau）及日本首相安倍晉三都已公開表達兩國「支持臺灣以觀察員身份參與WHA」，並稱此舉不僅「符合全球衛生界最大利益」，更表示「臺灣是此次全球防疫的重要夥伴」。

因此，全球台灣醫衛總會（Global Taiwanese Medical Alliance; GTMA）在此發起連署，呼籲WHO即刻邀請臺灣參加本年度WHA及其他重要防疫會議，不得再將2378萬人民的健康棄之於不顧！