PublishTime：2025-03-28
To formulate the "National One Health Joint Plan of Action," the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) organized an interdepartmental workshop titled "One Health Workshop" from March 25 to 26, 2025. This workshop brought together 60 representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and their affiliated agencies. Guided by Taiwan CDC medical officers, participants followed the steps recommended by the Quadripartite Organizations to assess the current domestic situation and discuss integrated epidemic prevention strategies. Taiwan CDC explained that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the systemic and complex nature of issues involving human health, animal health, and ecosystems. Addressing these challenges requires a nationally-led joint action plan that adopts the One Health approach to develop integrated response strategies. In response, the Executive Yuan has directed the acceleration of the "National One Health Joint Plan of Action." This initiative will be based on the six action tracks proposed by the Quadripartite Organizations to ensure a thorough assessment, initiate discussions on the development of action items and focus areas, and formulate concrete interagency implementation strategies. To ensure that proposed strategies are consistent with national governance priorities and meet expectations from professional sectors, the workshop invited Minister without Portfolio Chen Shih-chung, as well as scholars and experts in the fields of agriculture, health, and the environment, to provide guidance and recommendations. Minister Chen emphasized that, in line with the national "Healthy Taiwan" initiative, all government policies should prioritize health and work in synergy to achieve social sustainability. Experts and participants in the workshop have unanimously agreed and emphasized that establishing an effective national One Health cooperation mechanism and building capacities
requires interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborative efforts as well as integration of existing resources. This approach aims to enhance Taiwan’s capabilities in preventing, monitoring, identifying, and responding to emerging infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, vector-borne diseases, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Strengthening Taiwan’s capability to address different health threats and aligning with international initiatives will ultimately contribute to national sustainable development.