SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The South Korean government will give striking young doctors four days to return to work, and if they return by the deadline they will not be punished, but if they: It was announced on Monday that there is a possibility that They are not.
Approximately 9,000 Trainee and resident doctor have took a break from work Protests have been underway since early last week to protest government plans to increase medical school admissions by about 65%. The strike seriously affected hospital operations, leading to the cancellation of many surgeries and other treatments.
Government officials say more doctors are needed to cope with South Korea's rapidly aging population. Currently, the country's doctor-to-patient ratio is among the lowest in the developed world.
The strikers argue that the university cannot accept so many new students and that the plan does not address the chronic shortage of doctors in some key but low-paying fields, such as pediatrics and emergency departments. ing.
Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo said in a video conference on Monday that the government would not make a request. any disciplinary action Doctors are prohibited from striking if they return to work by Thursday.
“I want you to return to work by the end of this month, February 29th. If you return to the hospital you were discharged from by then, we will not be responsible for any damage caused by the strike,” Park said. “It's not too late. Return to the patient now.”
However, those who fail to meet the deadline will face a minimum three-month suspension of their medical licenses and further legal action, including investigation and possible prosecution, he said.
Doctors hold a rally against the government's health care policies near the presidential palace in Seoul, South Korea, on Sunday, February 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young Jun)
Under South Korea's medical law, the government can order doctors and other medical personnel to return to work if it determines there is a serious risk to public health. Refusal to comply with such an order could result in license suspension, up to three years in prison, or a fine of 30 million won ($22,480). Those sentenced to prison will have their medical licenses revoked.
There are approximately 13,000 interns and residents in South Korea, most of whom work and receive training at 100 hospitals. They typically assist senior doctors during surgeries and attend to hospitalized patients. They make up about 30% to 40% of all physicians in some large hospitals.
The Korean Medical Association, which represents about 140,000 doctors in South Korea, says it supports the striking doctors, but has not decided whether to join the strike by trainee doctors. Senior doctors have held a series of events in the past. gathering In recent days, people have voiced their opposition to the government's plan.
Earlier this month, the government announced that universities will increase the number of medical students by 2,000 from next year, up from the current 3,058. The government aims to increase the number of doctors by up to 10,000 by 2035.
Doctors march toward the presidential palace during a rally to protest the government's health care policies in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, February 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young Jun)
The striking doctors said they feared that in the face of increased competition, doctors would over-treat and burden public healthcare costs.
According to a public survey, about 80% of South Koreans support the plan. Critics suspect that doctors, one of South Korea's highest-paid professions, are opposing the hiring plan due to concerns about increased competition and lower incomes.
President Park said that medical services for emergency and critically ill patients in the country remain stable, with public medical facilities extending their working hours and military hospitals opening emergency rooms for general patients. However, local media reported that a woman in her 80s who went into cardiac arrest died last Friday after seven hospitals refused her, citing a lack of medical staff and other reasons likely related to the strike. was reported to have been declared.
Hwang Byung-tae, a 55-year-old laryngeal cancer patient, said he has been visiting a Seoul hospital regularly for treatment for four years. He said last week that he had to leave the hospital without receiving chemotherapy injections because of the strike.
Mr. Huang accused both the government and doctors of holding patients' lives hostage. “In the end, it's not them who suffer and die, but patients like me,” Huang said.
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Associated Press writer Jiwon Song in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
