The fact that thousands of young doctors and trainees went on strike or resigned with the aim of putting pressure on the government’s decision to increase medical student enrollment quotas has caused Korea’s healthcare system to collapse. into chaos.
This week, Deputy Health Minister Park Min-soo told reporters that 7,813 trainee doctors were not working and more than 8,800 junior doctors – accounting for 71% of the trainee force – had resigned.
South Korea has one of the lowest doctor-to-patient ratios among major economies, and the government recently proposed adding 2,000 existing enrollment slots to the annual target of 3,000 students. medical.
This plan was immediately criticized by doctors, who took to the streets to protest with signs saying “end of health care”. Striking doctors say the expansion will not address real shortages in certain specialties, where conditions and salaries are low, and could undermine the quality of medical services .
“We are extremely disappointed and concerned that the collective actions of trainee doctors have led to disruptions in medical services,” Mr. Park said at a press conference. We cannot justify the actions of doctors abandoning their patients to protest a policy despite knowing what collective action could lead to.” He added that the government was “deeply disappointed by the situation of trainee doctors refusing to work”.
The government has ordered doctors to return to work, issued direct orders and threatened legal action against those leading the strike.
In fact, emergency measures to minimize the impact on healthcare services have been introduced, including expanding telemedicine and the use of military hospitals.
South Korea’s Ministry of Health announced it will allow telemedicine services across all hospitals and clinics to address the challenges posed by trainee doctors.
“The medical system has been collapsing for a while,” Park Dan, head of the Korean Intern Association, told the New York Times. I can’t see a future for myself working in a state of emergency for the next five or 10 years.”
According to The Korea Times, doctors warned the government over the weekend that they would take “unbearable” steps and could quit indefinitely if the government continued to threaten interns. students and residents protested their plans.
South Korea raised its health alert to the highest level in response to the widespread strike. The Prime Minister also announced that public hospitals will increase their operating hours to address the increasing pressure on healthcare infrastructure.
The Korean Medical Association (KMA), which represents the majority of doctors in South Korea, issued the statement after the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) said it would take strict action against doctors. soldiers strike.
The KMA’s emergency committee said: “We express our deep regret at the inappropriate comments threatening to revoke the license and prevent the individual from voluntarily resigning as a trainee doctor. there”.
The Commission added: “If they continue to threaten, we warn that we may seek legal action.”
According to 2022 data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], doctors in South Korea are among the highest earners globally, with specialists at public hospitals earning an average of nearly $200,000 (£159,000) per year. This salary significantly exceeds the national average income.
However, some people also criticized the striking doctors. Professor Kwon Soon-man, a public health expert at Seoul National University, told the BBC: “More doctors means more competition and lower income… that’s why They oppose proposals to increase the supply of doctors.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol told doctors to return to their jobs and said they were “taking people’s lives and health hostage”.
Public opinion in South Korea appears to be largely supportive of the government’s plan, in contrast to the medical community’s concerns about the impacts on health care quality and working conditions.
A Gallup Korea poll last week found that 76% of respondents responded positively to the government’s plan to expand medical school admission quotas.
Observers note that the current insurance structure and government reimbursements only allow doctors in certain fields, such as cosmetic surgery, to earn significant income.
Furthermore, doctors who oppose the government’s plan argue that increasing the number of medical professionals could unintentionally promote increased competition, potentially leading to overtreatment of patients.