Mr. Shigehiro Nishiumi, Deputy Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office, attended the opening ceremony of the GCTF International Training Workshop on the Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis.
On April 30, Mr. Shigehiro Nishiumi, Deputy Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office, attended the opening ceremony of the Global Cooperation Training Framework (GCTF) International Training Workshop on the Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis , and made the following opening remarks.
Vice-President Chen,
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen,
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hsieh,
Former US Secretary of Health and Human Services Price, and
Director Christensen of the American Institute in Taiwan.
On behalf of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, it is my honor to co-host the GCTF International Training Workshop on the Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and Sanitation, and the American Institute in Taiwan.
It is no exaggeration to say that the fight against tuberculosis (TB) has been a major theme of human history throughout the ages. This disease has been in existence for thousands of years, as shown by the discovery of TB traces in mummies in ancient Egypt. Tuberculosis has not been eradicated yet and remains a threat to public health to this day.
Until 50 years ago, this disease was the leading cause of death in Japan. Since then, significant progress has been made, reflecting improvements in medical care and living standards, along with continued efforts to eradicate the disease. However, TB remains a profoundly serious infectious disease for Japan, as well as for the international community at large.
Hand in hand with the advance of internationalization comes an increase in global challenges and public health is definitely one of these. The acceleration of mass transportation has multiplied the risk of the spread of infectious diseases. Therefore, it is essential that we strengthen our cooperation in response to threats of this nature.
This GCTF workshop provides a platform for cross-regional initiatives in this field. Our aim is to enable participants to exchange information and learn from each other about this serious illness, build networks, and deepen cooperative ties for the future. Collaboration is the most effective way to tackle the serious challenges faced by humanity.
This is the third time the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has co-sponsored a Global Cooperation Training Framework workshop this year. The GCTF, launched by the United States and Taiwan, aims to help like-minded parties work together to provide solutions to common regional and global issues. We remain committed to further developing and advancing this vital initiative.
I would like to close these remarks by extending my best wishes for the success of this workshop.