Taiwan Alliance of Patients' Organizations Marks 10th Anniversary, Calls for More Patient Seats on NHI Committee

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 31. The Taiwan Alliance of Patients' Organizations (TAPO) celebrated its 10th anniversary. Last year, patients served as official representatives on the joint negotiation committee, prompting the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) to consider increasing patient seats on the National Health Insurance (NHI) Committee. TAPO Chair Wu Hung-lai pledged to promote patient community empowerment and the legalization of patient rights. MOHW Minister Shih Chung-liang attended the event, emphasizing that the essence of healthcare is patient-centered. He stated that patient participation is essential in policy-making, and since there are hospital representatives, there should also be patient representatives. Shih noted that, following the German model, the ministry will continue to work toward increasing patient seats. Wu proposed four goals for the next decade: earlier participation in policy-making, institutionalization of patient representatives, legalization of patient rights, and the creation of patient rights indicators, aiming to make healthcare policies more responsive to patient needs.