Taiwan is intensifying its public health initiatives to combat hepatitis B and enhance early liver cancer detection, following the country’s ahead-of-schedule accomplishment of the World Health Organization’s hepatitis C elimination benchmarks. The Minister of Health and Welfare, Shih Chung-liang, highlighted that the next strategic phase will target reducing hepatitis B infections, bolstering liver cancer screenings, and tackling non-viral liver ailments, including obesity-related fatty liver disease.
Liver cancer is a significant health challenge in Taiwan, ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with over 7,000 fatalities annually. Alarmingly, approximately 40 percent of liver cancer cases are identified at advanced stages, which diminishes treatment efficacy and escalates healthcare expenses. In response, Taiwanese health authorities are crafting a comprehensive national cancer control program. This initiative aims to refine early detection efforts by introducing a liver cancer risk assessment model tailored specifically for Taiwan’s population, with a particular focus on non-viral liver cancer, which is an emerging health issue.
In support of these efforts, the Good Liver Foundation has collaborated with experts in the medical and technology sectors to create “iGood Liver AI,” an advanced artificial intelligence-driven ultrasound tool. This innovative software is designed to identify and analyze liver tumors in real time, highlighting suspicious regions and aiding in the differentiation between benign and malignant growths during standard examinations. Medical professionals emphasize that this technology is meant to complement, not replace, doctors by serving as an additional diagnostic resource to enhance detection rates and minimize missed diagnoses.
To expand healthcare access, the Good Liver Foundation has also secured funding to distribute 50 sets of the AI system to medical facilities in remote and underserved regions. This initiative aims to broaden liver disease screening and promote early intervention services throughout Taiwan, ensuring that more individuals have access to crucial healthcare resources.