Taiwan to target one-third reduction in 'three highs' deaths

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) The government pledged on Thursday to reduce standardized mortality rates for chronic diseases related to high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol by one-third by 2030.

In a presentation to a Presidential Office committee, Deputy Health Minister Chou Jih-haw (周志浩) said deaths from chronic diseases linked to high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol, or "the three highs," are among the leading causes of death in Taiwan.

Chou was referring to heart disease (excluding hypertensive disease), cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, hypertensive disease and kidney disease.

In 2023, those diseases accounted for approximately 30 percent of the 62,000 deaths from chronic illnesses, he added.

The government will seek to reduce the standardized mortality rate for those diseases by one-third by the end of 2030, compared to 2025 levels, he said.

According to Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) data, the mortality rate was 81.8 per 100,000 population for heart disease, 47.6 for cerebrovascular disease, 40.6 for diabetes, 23.6 for hypertensive disease and 20 for kidney disease in 2015.

To achieve that aim, Chou said the MOHW will continue to encourage people to embrace a healthy diet and lifestyles through various campaigns while ensuring expanded screening programs are implemented effectively.

In a speech at the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee meeting, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) also took note of the need for more public and private sector collaboration on combating chronic diseases.

The president added that diseases related to the "three highs" place a significant financial burden on the healthcare system, with National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage of medical care for those diseases costing NT$170 billion (US$5.18 billion) annually.

The Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee is one of three established under the Presidential Office, alongside the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee and the National Climate Change Committee, which serve as ad-hoc advisory bodies to the executive branch.