Taiwan targets 33% reduction in cancer mortality by 2030

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has announced a government goal to reduce the standardized cancer mortality rate by one-third by 2030. To support this, the government is increasing cancer screening funding from NT$2.8 billion to NT$6.8 billion, expanding the scope of screenings and age groups, and including HPV testing services.

In terms of precision medicine, the government has integrated Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) into National Health Insurance coverage for 19 types of cancer. Additionally, a cancer new drug fund with a cumulative budget of NT$10 billion has been established to assist patients with the costs of innovative treatments.

Concurrently, Pingtung Hospital is collaborating with the Information Industry Association to implement smart healthcare platforms. These digital tools include AI-assisted medical imaging diagnosis, surgical instrument tracking, and automated medical equipment maintenance systems. Following successful testing at Pingtung Hospital, the initiative is expanding to other regional hospitals to improve medical efficiency and security in southern Taiwan and outlying islands.