The 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 18 to 23, 2026. Director General Lian-Yu Chen of the National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) joined the Ministry of Health and Welfare's (MOHW) WHA Action Team to participate in international forums and bilateral meetings with representatives from various countries. This allowed Taiwan to share its healthcare and public health experience while showcasing the achievements of the National Health Insurance (NHI) system to the international community.
AI and Digital Health in Focus
On May 18, the WHA Action Team launched the Taiwan Global Health Forum Series, beginning with "Digital Health Forum: AI Governance and Digital Health Innovation," which focused on AI applications in healthcare and smart medical technologies. The forum highlighted Taiwan's achievements in digital health and smart healthcare, showcasing innovative applications such as medical AI and medical robotics. Director General Chen moderated the forum and shared Taiwan's insights into digital health, AI applications, and the digital transformation of the NHI system.
The "Three Arrows Strategy" for Cancer Prevention
At the forum "Cancer Policy and Innovation: From Early Detection to Equitable Treatment" on May 18, Director General Chen delivered a keynote address on the achievements of Taiwan's "Three Arrows Strategy" for the cancer moonshot plan. The strategy focuses on expanding cancer screening, advancing precision medicine, and establishing the Cancer Drug Fund, demonstrating Taiwan's comprehensive approach to cancer care spanning prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
An International Model for Hepatitis C Elimination
At the forum "Global Hepatitis C Elimination: Experience and the Road Ahead" on May 19, the NHIA shared Taiwan's experience in achieving the World Health Organization's (WHO) Gold Tier status under the Path to Elimination (PTE) framework ahead of schedule. This milestone was made possible through precision public health and the NHI reforms, reflecting Taiwan's success in hepatitis C screening, treatment, and elimination.
GCTF Strengthens International Cooperation
To strengthen healthcare and public health cooperation with European partner countries, the Taipei Representative Office in Germany and the U.S. Embassy in Germany co-hosted a Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) workshop on May 22. Director General Chen participated as a panelist in the session "Joint Innovation on Medical AI & Technology", sharing Taiwan's experience in medical AI and technological innovation with international experts from Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Through WHA side events and international exchanges, the NHIA continued to share Taiwan's achievements in the NHI system, digital health, AI-assisted healthcare, and cancer prevention with the international community. These efforts strengthened international public health cooperation and highlighted the resilience of Taiwan's healthcare system.
▲Fig. 1: Group photo of NHIA Director General Lian-Yu Chen (center left), Director Chien-Chang Lee of the Department of Information Management, MOHW (center right) and the panelists from the "Digital Health Forum".
▲Fig. 2: Group photo of Minister Chung-Liang Shih of the MOHW (center left), NHIA Director General Lian-Yu Chen (third left) Academician Pan-Chyr Yang (second left), Professor Hsiu-Hsi Chen (far left), and the panelists from the "Cancer Policy and Innovation Forum".
▲Fig. 3: Dr. John Ward of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (center), NHIA Director General Lian-Yu Chen (right), and Professor Hsiu-Hsi Chen (left) at the "Global Hepatitis C Elimination Forum".
▲Fig. 4: NHIA Director General Lian-Yu Chen (center) exchanging views with international experts at the GCTF workshop.