"Blaming Yeungnam University Wrongly"... Daegu Medical Association Demands Apology from Quarantine Countermeasures Headquarters

Busy emergency room at Yeungnam University Hospital. Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Ju Cheol-in] The Daegu Medical Association demanded an apology from Kwon Jun-wook, Deputy Director of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH), and the CDSCH for pointing out the testing error at Yeungnam University Hospital and ordering the suspension of tests related to the death of 17-year-old high school student A on the 21st.

The Daegu Medical Association issued a statement saying, "Deputy Director Kwon distorted matters related to specimen results that should be discussed within the clinical expert domain, escalating the issue into a diagnostic testing error at Yeungnam University Hospital," and added, "The public finds it difficult to understand the various errors that can occur in specimen testing, but ignoring this reality, the situation was driven as a fault of the university hospital."

They continued, "Issuing a unilateral administrative order to close the testing laboratory without an accurate verification process was an overreach of authority by a public official and a reckless act stemming from a lack of understanding of medical matters," and pointed out, "Deputy Director Kwon’s announcement lowered the morale of medical staff who are doing their best to treat patients and brought negative consequences such as undermining the reliability of test results from all university hospitals in Daegu."

The Medical Association stated, "Deputy Director Kwon and the CDSCH should not shift the responsibility for the failure of infectious disease response policies onto frontline medical institutions or the medical community, and must immediately apologize for the problematic remarks and actions," emphasizing, "If our demands are not met, all 5,700 members will not remain passive."

Below is the full text of the Daegu Medical Association’s statement.

Apologize immediately, Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and the CDSCH!

On the 18th, a 17-year-old high school student died of pneumonia of unknown cause at Yeungnam University Hospital in Daegu.

First, the Daegu Medical Association expresses deep condolences and sincere sympathy to the bereaved family who had to suddenly lose their loved one.

Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (hereafter CDSCH) committed a serious mistake during the performance of his duties. He misled the public regarding specimen results that should be discussed within the clinical expert domain, escalating the issue into a diagnostic testing error at Yeungnam University Hospital. The public finds it difficult to understand the various errors that can occur in specimen testing. Ignoring this reality, he blamed the situation solely on one university hospital and issued a unilateral administrative order to close the testing laboratory without an accurate verification process. This is an overreach of authority by a public official and a reckless act born from a lack of understanding of medical matters.

Yeungnam University Hospital has conducted over 5,000 tests during this COVID-19 crisis and is playing an important role in treating COVID-19 patients in Daegu, with more than 100 inpatients. In this context, Deputy Director Kwon’s announcement lowered the morale of medical staff who are working tirelessly to treat patients amid the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, deeply hurt them, and the hasty order to close the testing laboratory undermined the reliability of test results from all university hospitals in Daegu, bringing negative consequences to COVID-19 treatment in the region.

Therefore, the Daegu Medical Association strongly demands Deputy Director Kwon of the CDSCH and the CDSCH itself to take responsibility.

Deputy Director Kwon and the CDSCH, who are responsible for this situation, should no longer shift the responsibility for the failure of infectious disease response policies onto frontline medical institutions or the medical community, and must immediately apologize for the problematic remarks and actions!

If our reasonable demands are not met, all 5,700 members of the Daegu Medical Association declare that they will never remain passive.

March 21, 2020

Daegu Medical Association

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