Earthquakes are part and parcel of daily life in seismically active countries like Türkiye and Taiwan, but this does make mitigating the impact of devastating temblors any easier. With reference to the recent Daily Sabah news report "Türkiye provides psychological, health support to quake survivors," I truly appreciate the challenges faced by Turkish people in the aftermath of Kahramanmaraş, as well as the complexity and magnitude of subsequent support operations.

The most pressing issue immediately following an earthquake, and in the days and weeks afterward, is public health and hygiene-related works. Based on our shared experiences, this work demands an all-hands-on-deck approach to make sure no one is left behind.

As the temblor affected up to 11 provinces of southeast Türkiye, miscellaneous considerations on solving health issues require collective action, be it the public or private sector, domestic stakeholders or international aid agencies. Health has been a central plank in Taiwan’s emergency response to Kahramanmaraş and over the past three months, the country’s projects have reached urban and rural areas. This was accomplished in conjunction with the Turkish Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labor and Social Security on a central and local level, as well as in collaboration with municipalities and the World Health Organization (WHO). Taiwan has successfully extended its assistance on the ground through strong partnerships with leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and the Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SGDD-ASAM) in Türkiye.

Our efforts to date include providing emergency health kits, building mobile shower rooms and laundries, establishing counseling centers, raising awareness of the risks of infectious diseases, prenatal health care, and assisting the mentally and physically challenged.

In cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Health, we set up 13 temporary clinics with 65 containers to provide basic medical services mainly in the hard-hit Hatay province. To ensure rural populations in remote areas are able to receive essential medical care, we opened 14 mobile clinics for doctors and nurses to treat all members of society, irrespective of location.

According to a study conducted by the International Pediatrics Association, one in five children in Türkiye was affected physically, psychologically or socially by the quakes. To provide psychosocial support, we assisted in establishing child-friendly psychological consultation centers. Through these efforts, we are maintaining a basic level of health care for at least 40,000 disaster victims.

'Virtuous' circle

In 1999, right after the devastating magnitude 7.3 Jiji earthquake struck Taiwan, Türkiye extended a helping hand and was among the first countries to arrive and assist in recovery and relief efforts. As a country firmly believing in the merits of a virtuous circle when it comes to international relations, Taiwan wasted no time in mobilizing its public and private sectors in dispatching rescue teams, as well as donating up to $43 million (TL 851 million) and 415 tons of essential items to assist our Turkish friends. Although our countries are oceans apart, the temblors showed we could not be closer at heart.

Taiwan’s contribution to enhancing global health care is a long-standing commitment extending beyond immediate crises. During COVID-19, the country managed the pandemic by utilizing its robust public health care system, highly trained medical personnel, and advanced epidemiological surveillance and analysis systems. Measures such as border controls, efficient allocation of medical resources and a patient transfer system were implemented.

Other steps extended to donations of masks, mask-making machines and medical equipment. While Taiwan’s presence is evident during challenging times, the country also dispatches medical teams to the four corners of the globe on a regular basis, providing medical consultation and care to those most in need.

The bottom line is Taiwan wholeheartedly endorses health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the WHO's triple billion targets. We are fully dedicated to establishing a health service supply chain that is resilient and equitable, ensuring the availability of inclusive and fair universal health coverage. We are also committed to disease prevention and management through a strong primary health care system.

Taiwan is willing and able to cooperate with Türkiye and other democracies and like-minded partners worldwide in sharing its expertise in implementing an innovative and patient-centric health care approach to support the global community in realizing the SDGs concerning health and well-being.

Emergency medical responses require cross-sector collaboration, particularly in the face of complex issues emerging during times of disaster. We believe Taiwan can help when there is a need, yet the exclusion of the country from the WHO and its activities limits our ability to build healthier tomorrows for the people.

Taiwan has contributed effectively and efficiently to Turkish government programs aimed at engineering an earthquake bounceback. We sincerely wish to play a greater role in the international arena and assist the WHO in delivering health for all and upholding the fundamental right to good health and well-being as outlined in the WHO Constitution and enshrined as a core principle of the SDGs to leave no one behind.