2024-03-24 14:26:36
MADRID, 24 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
This Monday, the teaching staff of South Korea’s medical schools are called to join the strike that intern doctors have been carrying out for more than a month to protest against the health reform promoted by the South Korean Government.
Teachers will also progressively reduce working hours in hospitals. In a first measure of pressure, they will reduce their weekly working hours to 52, which will affect the scheduling of surgical operations and other medical treatments, as explained by the National Council of Professors of Medical Schools and reported by the South Korean news agency Yonhap.
In addition, starting April 1, they will “minimize” the medical services provided to outpatients to concentrate on caring for the most seriously ill and urgent cases.
“Our decision to resign and reduce outpatient care seeks to ensure safe treatment for inpatients and serious cases,” a spokesperson for the organization explained. “Even after we resign we will continue to do our job to treat patients until our resignations are accepted,” he added.
The Minister of Health, Cho Kyoo Hong, has expressed his concern about these announcements and has asked teachers to be “with the patients.” “The Government will strengthen the emergency medical response system to minimize the effects of the strike,” he said after holding a meeting to discuss the issue this Sunday.
More than 90 percent of the country’s 13,000 resident doctors have resigned their positions in protest against the Government’s plan to increase the number of medical training places from the current 3,000 to 5,000 for the next academic year.
Doctors allege that the proposal represents an unsustainable burden given that universities, which do not have the capacity to assume an increase that, in their opinion, does not solve the lack of incentives for the lowest paid specialties, such as pediatrics, or to cover places in more remote destinations. Additionally, they argue that authorities should focus on protecting them from malpractice lawsuits.
Authorities have issued return-to-work orders citing serious risk to public health. Those who do not comply could be penalized with the withdrawal of their medical license for up to one year and up to three years in prison, in addition to fines of 30 million won (about 20,800 euros). In addition, they have mobilized 413 military doctors and could call upon retired doctors.
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