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Taiwan International Health Action (Taiwan IHA) organized a delegation to attend the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Re-Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD 2006)

Apr 10, 2006

Taiwan International Health Action (Taiwan IHA), an ad hoc inter-agency body, was established by the Executive Yuan's Department of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It organized a delegation to attend the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Re-Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD 2006) on April 10-12.

The delegation includes the following five members: Tsai Min-che, South District Executive Director of the National Disaster Rescue Team; Dr. Lin Chi-hao (M.D.) of Chen Kung University Hospital; Liu Chi-chun, Director of the Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps; Dr. Chang Yu-tai; and Chang Wan-lu, Taiwan IHA's Director of Planning. They are to depart on April 9 and return on April 13.

With the United Nations (UN) as one of its major sponsors, DIHAD marks an important annual event for international humanitarian assistance organizations. Many representatives of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other vital humanitarian relief organizations, as well as key leaders of the Unite Arab Emirates (UAE) will attend the meeting. It is expected that some 200 humanitarian relief organizations from 30 countries will participate in this event. Our delegation will set up a mobile medical station at the DIHAD venue to show our ability to participate in international disaster assistance. In addition, brochures introducing Taiwan IHA and related humanitarian organizations from Taiwan will be circulated. Members of the delegation will attend various meetings and activities to exchange views with international rescue assistance organizations so as to share experience, enhance friendly ties, and show our achievements and contributions to international humanitarian assistance.

The goal of Taiwan IHA, which was established in February 2006, is to integrate Taiwan's human and material resources into the international medical and health affairs network. Before Taiwan IHA was founded, Taiwan participated in the reconstruction of the South Asian tsunami, cooperated with the ICMH to produce pamphlets around the world on preventing avian flu, and assisted Sao Tome and Principe in the prevention and treatment of malaria there. It also joined in delivered emergency medical supplies to the areas struck my mudslides in the Philippines. On March 31, the public health think tank Health Diplomats hosted a conference at Taiwan's Foreign Service Institute: International Meeting on Avian Flu and Global Health Security—Closing the Gaps in the Global Health Security Network.” Moreover, delegations consisting of health experts were dispatched to Burkina Faso and Chad on April 7 to provide them with assistance in the prevention and treatment of avian flu.

Original Source: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,REPUBLIC OF CHINA