Health ministry to create 'Children and Families Administration': Lai

Taipei, Nov. 16 (CNA) Taiwan will establish a Children and Families Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Sunday.

"I want to announce today that the MOHW will establish a Children and Families Administration," Lai said during a speech at a forum on Taiwanese health issues at National Taiwan University Hospital.

The agency will be dedicated to child care, and will provide comprehensive support for children's medical care, physical and mental development, and policymaking to ensure that children's rights are better protected, Lai said.

Lai's speech did not go into specifics on when the new unit would be launched or how its duties would be divided with other existing agencies.

The MOHW already has a Social and Family Affairs Administration.

At a legislative hearing on Oct. 31, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) told lawmakers that such an agency was in the works, and would focus on "early childhood development, child social welfare, protection, and health policy."

The ministry has a draft plan for the administration, and is currently confirming the final details before submitting it to the Executive Yuan for approval, Shih said at the time.