Smart health care cooperation critical for Taiwan, Türkiye

With reference to recent Daily Sabah news reports, we have witnessed a transformation in innovative medical services to cope with chronic diseases more precisely and efficiently in Türkiye. Taiwan has also experienced an upgrading of its overall medical services and quality.

The convergence of health care and technology has moved beyond simple digitalization into a sophisticated era of artificial intelligence (AI). As both Taiwan and Türkiye prioritize high-tech medical sectors, the integration of AI offers a transformative bridge for bilateral cooperation. By combining Taiwan’s data-rich ecosystem and hardware prowess with Türkiye’s rapid digital adoption and large-scale hospital initiatives, the two nations can create a “Smart Health Corridor” that safeguards global health security.

This collaboration is not merely about exchanging technology; it is about combining high-level expertise, such as that seen at the Asia Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) Annual Meeting 2026 in Istanbul. Taiwan’s commitment to health care excellence is reflected in its consistent global recognition. According to the Numbeo Health Care Index 2026, Taiwan was ranked No. 1 in the world for the eighth consecutive year. With a remarkable score of 87.1, Taiwan leads the globe in medical quality, staff expertise and accessibility.

Digital health

Digital health is no longer a peripheral upgrade; it is the core of modern health care development for both nations. Türkiye’s practical innovations have implemented agile, patient-centric digital policies. Istanbul’s hospitals utilize digital feedback systems to maintain hygiene standards in real-time. Furthermore, the integration of health and family services ensures that social support and medical care are no longer siloed, creating a holistic care model for its citizens.

Taiwan has evolved its health information systems since 2010, starting with electronic medical record (EMR) exchange systems. In 2025, the introduction of electronic prescriptions streamlined the transmission of medical data between institutions and pharmacies, enhancing medication safety and accessibility.

A shared opportunity is that while Türkiye excels in large-scale implementation and integrated services, Taiwan offers a blueprint for data standardization and advanced infrastructure. Together, they can exchange expertise on building interoperable systems that allow for seamless cross-border medical collaboration.

AI applications

The true potential for cooperation lies in the application of AI to solve complex medical challenges. Taiwan has established 19 national medical AI centers to ensure responsible governance and clinical validation. With over 50 AI medical products already receiving regulatory approval, supporting early cancer detection and cardiac event prediction, these tools are ready for integration into Türkiye’s expanding hospital networks.

Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA), in partnership with the National Health Research Institutes and Google, has developed AI technologies to monitor and predict disease progression. Specifically, they have developed an AI-based diabetes risk prediction model that is being expanded to other chronic diseases. Such technology could be adapted to Türkiye’s metabolic syndrome management programs to proactively identify high-risk individuals.

Taiwan is also utilizing health data and technological innovation to strengthen chronic disease management capacity, ensuring that 80% of patients within the care network see stable control of or improvement in their condition. These tools can be integrated into Türkiye’s expanding hospital networks to reduce the workload of medical personnel and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Furthermore, Taiwan’s highly digitalized surveillance system already integrates real-time medical reporting and border quarantine management. Adding AI layers allows for “predictive” rather than “reactive” responses to disease patterns, a capability that would significantly benefit regional security for both nations.

Milestones in prevention, control

Taiwan’s achievements in specific disease areas serve as a vital reference for the Turkish medical sector.

If we are to give a few examples in 2025, Taiwan achieved its hepatitis elimination targets five years ahead of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s 2030 goal, with diagnosis and treatment rates exceeding 90%. This was driven by the National Hepatitis C Policy Guideline, which uses a “prevention through treatment” approach.

Liver disease also remains a significant concern for Turkish health authorities. The exchange at APASL allowed for the sharing of Taiwan’s policy guidelines and its approach, which offers a valuable reference for the Turkish medical sector.

Another one is Taiwan’s “888 Program,” which focuses on hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. By using health data and AI to help 80% of these patients effectively control their conditions, Taiwan has built a robust network for chronic disease management.

Cross-border collaboration

A unique point of synergy lies in the integration of Taiwan’s long-term health databases with Türkiye’s integrated family and health services. Türkiye’s initiative to expand integrated services across the Ministries of Family and Health provides a massive platform for social-medical data. Taiwan’s experience with the Family Physician Program 2.0, which integrates citizens’ health information to predict disease progression, offers a perfect technological template for this scaling effort.

Secondly, Taiwan is currently promoting the digital transformation of long-term care, utilizing smart assistive technologies for mobility sensing and real-time health monitoring. As Türkiye manages its own demographic shifts, sharing these AI-driven care models can reduce the workload of care personnel and improve service quality in both nations.

In terms of joint tech development, by forming a partnership, Taiwan’s biotechnology and medicine sectors, already proven through global licensing of COVID-19 vaccine technology, can work with Turkish innovators to develop localized AI solutions for the Middle East and European markets.

Moral, practical necessity

The exclusion of Taiwan from the WHO is a critical gap that undermines global safety. Such a “lose-lose” situation has shown that political considerations have rendered the WHO unable to uphold its professionalism and neutrality. Exclusion prevents Taiwan from participating in the WHO’s Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, a significant loss to global health security.

Barring a technological and medical leader like Taiwan from global health circles is “unjust and unprofessional.” It leaves 23 million people without direct representation and deprives other nations of Taiwan’s expertise in early warning systems, as well as causing a loophole and a threat to global health.

Both Taiwan and Türkiye are trusted partners in the global health community. The WHO must prioritize professionalism, connecting the efforts of all countries to ensure that “health for all” becomes a reality, rather than a slogan.

The AI frontier exists strategic synergies in Taiwan-Türkiye health cooperation, such as synergy in AI and digital health, which represents a powerful opportunity. By moving toward joint AI research, standardized data sharing and mutual disease prevention strategies, these two nations can lead the way in smart healthcare. However, for this cooperation to reach its full potential, the international community must embrace Taiwan’s participation in the global health framework. In a world of shared risks, leaving no one behind is the only way to ensure safety for everyone.

DAILYSABAH