To promote the health and well-being of all citizens, the government should establish a resource integration platform, incorporate health-promotion concepts into public policies, and implement the policies in an innovative and thorough manner, Premier Lin Chuan said at a Cabinet meeting today.
Public health promotion is not a task for the government alone but requires the support of local communities and the private sector as well, Lin said after hearing a report by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The ministry said it studied the World Health Organization's settings-based approach to health promotion and applied those strategies to Taiwan's situation. These include building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments for health, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services. A healthy citizenry is the foundation of the nation, the ministry said.
Thanks to collaborations among government agencies and private organizations, health promotion programs have now been implemented at 4,044 schools, 14,287 work places, 161 hospitals and 182 elder care institutions, the ministry reported. In addition, 22 counties and cities are promoting senior-friendly city programs while 259 townships and districts have set up community centers dedicated to public health. The ministry hopes to continue expanding the programs to more settings and invites other agencies and organizations to join the movement.