President Ma Ying-jeou appeared with Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang yesterday at a public event on suicide prevention, and the interaction between them has attracted much media attention. Though Yaung earlier expressed wishes to resign over the issue of health insurance reform, he declined to comment on his future plans at this point.

Suicide prevention is a way to cherish and save life as President Ma Ying-jeou and Health Minister Yang Chih-liang acted as gatekeepers in preventing suicide as statistics say that every 40 seconds a person commits suicide in Taiwan.

And for the past 13 years, suicide is also top ten cause of death! From 2008 to 2009, the suicide rate decreased by 1.7%, and the first half of this year, when compared to the same period a year ago, saw the rate decline by 11% or approximately 250 people.

President Ma also stressed that improving the environment and promoting social welfare along with suicide prevention should be actions the government would be responsible for.

Health Minister Yaung, had been the focus of the media since his offer to resign over 2nd stage health insurance reforms.

His appearance President Ma included little interaction as Yaung was low key over recent discussions over the matter. Yaung said that the legislature has a December deadline to complete second-generation health reform as his current work includes communicating with legislators, so that second-generation health insurance can be completed on schedule.

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