The Taiwan's Center of Disease Control: NHCC

By Tsai Peiyi

The novel Coronavirus outbreak has drawn increased international attention and concerns as the virus quickly spreads across the world. However, Taiwan is seen as one of the few places which have successfully checked the spread of the Coronavirus. Thanks to the leadership of Shih-Chung Chen, the Minister of Health and Welfare, who is now the acting commander of the National Health Command Center (NHCC), Taiwan is steeling itself against and forward its battle with the Coronavirus.

    It is also worth mentioning that someone wants to hold us back. According to news reports, the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) proposed a replacement of our acting commander lest the minister may sometimes disagree with his superior, the premier. In TPP’s opinion, it is better off for the premier to take over the NHCC, better off for the superior to act as the commander. It may after all be a ridiculous idea. First, although the premier is a more highly ranked position than the minister, the  minister is more professional on this position as a medical doctor. So, even when there is a disagreement of opinion, people have their faith in and respect for the minister’s opinion and decision. Second, regardless of the minister’s success in battling the outbreak so far, from people’s thorough observation, he has never shown the slightest sign of dereliction of duty. There is no reason to replace him. Finally, the time is crucial and the enemy is the Coronavirus. Why does TPP focus on petit politics like this instead of epidemic prevention? Placing politics before anything else in the nick of time, if that is the case, is absolutely absurd. Can we have a capable commander and a professional doctor to lead and work for people? This battle is the whole nation’s life-and-death concern and it is a responsibility beyond the TPP’s capability to tackle or to put a word in edgewise.

    We are all going through a rough patch. What we need is stick together. An unclear head with an uninformed mind is the least thing we need. Taiwan is free country and it certainly allows freedom of speech. But, if you are only insisted in acquiring your  political gain, you are doing so at the cost of people’s suffering and pain, in the time of plague..