President Lai Ching-te presided over the second meeting of the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee Nov. 28 in Taipei City, underscoring government work to strengthen mental health resilience and fight cancer.
During his opening remarks, Lai said the government is committed to providing more resources to improve mental health. He cited a Ministry of Health and Welfare initiative, which expanded applicable ages from 15-30 years old, to 15-45 years old in August this year, and already saw over 20,000 people seeking help.
There is still room for improvement, the president said, adding that public and private sectors must work together for accessibility to services for all sections of society including campuses and workplaces.
Lai went on to expound on the government goal to reduce cancer mortality rates by one-third by 2030. The government will continue to expand screening services and improve treatment, he said, adding that five government-subsidized cancer screenings were taken up by a total of 4.87 million people last year, and the relevant official budget will increase by NT$4 billion (US$123 million) to NT$6.8 billion next year.
According to the president, the government is set to establish a fund for new cancer treatment drugs, with around NT$5 billion being allocated next year and more in the future to reach NT$10 billion. The MOHW is additionally promoting genetic testing and precision medicine, he said, adding that next-generation sequencing testing has been included in the country’s National Health Insurance system.
Lai concluded the meeting by saying that the government sought opinions from all sectors and will formulate policies to meet the people’s needs.
The Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee is one of three advisory groups giving policy input announced by the president in June this year. The other two are the National Climate Change Committee and the National Whole-of-Society Resilience Committee. (YCH-E)
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