President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) spoke at the 23rd Asian Pacific Congress of Nephrology Friday morning, stating that it is the most influential event in the region’s nephrology community and its return to Taiwan after a 25-year absence is of great significance. He said he is pleased to release the Taiwan Home Dialysis White Paper for 2026 to 2035, submitted by the Taiwan Society of Nephrology, the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis, and the Health Ministry.

The blueprint outlines Taiwan's shift from treatment only being available in hospitals, allowing medical care to be provided to families and communities, and moving towards the goals of humanistic care, healthy ageing, and sustainable healthcare.

The president pointed out that kidney disease has become a major global public health challenge, with the WHO including chronic kidney disease in its global health resolutions. According to Health Ministry statistics, Taiwan has over 90,000 dialysis patients, accruing costs estimated to reach US$1.5 billion this year, directly impacting the health, well-being, and quality of life of its citizens.

Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) underscored that the “three highs" of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia are important risk factors for kidney disease. He said he hopes National Health Insurance Administration policy efforts towards making care more accessible can achieve the goal of reducing chronic kidney disease mortality by one-third by 2030.