The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW; ) is the Executive Yuan ministry responsible for the administration of the public health system, social welfare, affordable and universal health care, hospitals, pharmaceutical, immunization programs, disease prevention, supervision and coordination of local health agencies in Taiwan.
History
The ministry was originally established on 17 March 1971 as the Department of Health (DOH; ). The department was upgraded to Ministry of Health and Welfare on 23 July 2013 with the addition from the agencies in the Ministry of the Interior responsible for social welfare following restructuring of the Executive Yuan.
The original building of the MOHW was located at Datong District, Taipei when it was still named the Department of Health and being renamed Ministry of Health and Welfare. The Executive Yuan approved the construction for the new building of the then Department of Health in 2007 at Nangang District, Taipei. After years of planning and construction, the building was finally completed in May 2014. On 18 June 2014, the opening ceremony of the new MOHW building was attended by President Ma Ying-jeou, legislators, and representatives from various government agencies and related organizations.
In 2023 the Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Health and Welfare set up a reserve system for medical personnel.
Organizational structure
Political departments Department of Planning Department of Social Insurance Department of Social Assistance and Social Work Department of Protective Service Department of Nursing and Health Care Department of Medical Affairs Department of Mental Health Department of Oral Health Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy
Administrative departments Department of Secretarial Affairs Department of Personnel Department of Civil Service Ethics Department of Accounting Department of Statistics Department of Information Management Legal Affairs Committee Hospital and Social Welfare Organizations Administration Commission National Health Insurance Administration National Health Insurance Dispute Mediation Committee Health and Welfare Workers Training Center Office of International Cooperation National Pension Supervisory Committee
Agencies Social and Family Affairs Administration Centers for Disease Control Food and Drug Administration Health Promotion Administration National Health Insurance Administration
List of ministers
№NameTerm of office DaysPartyPremier Minister of the Department of Health 1 Yen Chun-hui (顏春輝) 17 March 1971 25 June 1974 Yen Chia-kanChiang Ching-kuo 2Wang Chin-mao (王金茂) 25 June 1974 9 May 1981 Chiang Ching-kuoSun Yun-suan 3 Hsu Tzu-chiu (許子秋) 9 May 1981 14 January 1986 Sun Yun-suanYu Kuo-hua 4Shih Chun-jen (施純仁) 14 January 1986 2 June 1990 Yu Kuo-huaLee Huan 5Chang Po-ya (張博雅) 2 June 1990 1 September 1997 Independent Hau Pei-tsunLien Chan 6Steve Chan (詹啟賢) 1 September 1997 19 May 2000 Independent Vincent Siew 7Lee Ming-liang (李明亮) 20 May 2000 31 August 2002 Independent Tang FeiChang Chun-hsiung IYu Shyi-kun — Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) 1 September 2002 31 December 2002 Democratic Progressive Party Yu Shyi-kun 8 Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) 31 December 2002 18 May 2003 Democratic Progressive Party Yu Shyi-kun 9Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) 18 May 2003 1 February 2005 Independent Yu Shyi-kun —Wang Hsiu-hong (王秀紅) 2 February 2005 16 February 2005 Frank Hsieh 10 Hou Sheng-mao (侯勝茂) 17 February 2005 19 May 2008 Frank HsiehSu Tseng-chang IChang Chun-hsiung II 11Lin Fang-yue (林芳郁) 20 May 2008 25 September 2008 Liu Chao-shiuan 12 Yeh Ching-chuan (葉金川) 26 September 2008 6 August 2009 Kuomintang Liu Chao-shiuan 13 Yang Chih-liang (楊志良) 6 August 2009 8 February 2011 Kuomintang Liu Chao-shiuanWu Den-yih 14 Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達) 8 February 2011 22 July 2013 Wu Den-yihSean ChenJiang Yi-huah Minister of Health and Welfare (since 23 July 2013) 1Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達) 23 July 2013 3 October 2014 Jiang Yi-huah —Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延) 3 October 2014 22 October 2014 Jiang Yi-huah 2Chiang Been-huang (蔣丙煌) 22 October 2014 19 May 2016 Jiang Yi-huahMao Chi-kuoChang San-cheng 3Lin Tzou-yien (林奏延) 20 May 2016 7 February 2017 Lin Chuan 4Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) 8 February 2017 17 July 2022 Democratic Progressive Party Lin ChuanWilliam LaiSu Tseng-chang II 5Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元)18 July 202220 May 2024Su Tseng-chang II 6Chiu Tai-yuan (邱泰源)20 May 20241 September 2025 Democratic Progressive PartyCho Jung-tai 5Shih Chung-liang (石崇良)1 September 2025Incumbent
Transportation The MOHW building is accessible within walking distance East from Kunyang Station of Taipei Metro.
See also Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan) Healthcare in Taiwan National Health Research Institutes (Taiwan) Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (Taiwan) Executive Yuan
References
External links