The Committee on Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Affairs of the Control Yuan conducted a site visit at the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on July 19, 2024. The inspection, centered on post-pandemic disease prevention, policy formulation, and the establishment of an infectious disease prevention network, aimed to protect the public’s health rights and interests. Additionally, Control Yuan members visited the National Health Command Center (NHCC) to enhance their understanding of its functions in both routine and pandemic conditions, as well as the timing and monitoring mechanisms implemented by the Central Epidemic Command Center.
Control Yuan members have emphasized that disease control and prevention of communicable diseases are major concerns for the CY, including efforts to prevent enterovirus and dengue fever, manage influenza vaccines, provide compensation for vaccine injuries, order and manage COVID-19 vaccines, and amend legislation related to major communicable diseases. These issues are all closely tied to public health rights. The public has high expectations for the CDC in terms of disease prevention, health education initiatives, and response strategies during outbreaks of communicable diseases.
The CY members additionally provided guidance on various matters, including enhancing transparency in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines, establishing clear guidelines for determining vaccine recipients and priority groups, addressing misinformation, implementing effective response mechanisms for emerging infectious diseases, ensuring medical assistance and care prior to vaccine injury compensation, diversifying vaccine distribution methods, incorporating an international commercial negotiator into the vaccine procurement team, and compensating for damages caused by antiviral drugs.