"During MERS, Only Words... Urgent Need to Expand Infectious Disease Department Staff"

Interview with Kim Wooju, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital

Professor Kim Woo-joo, Department of Infectious Diseases, Korea University Guro Hospital.

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] "This time, like during the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), there will be similar signs (movements to support infectious disease departments), but there is little expectation. It is a vicious cycle of locking the barn after the horse is lost every time."

Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital (former president of the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases), pointed out in an interview with Asia Economy on the 25th, "The role of infectious disease experts is emphasized whenever an infectious disease crisis breaks out, but not during normal times." He added, "Support for expanding personnel in infectious disease departments is necessary."

The infectious disease department, which is playing a major role in the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) crisis, suffers from chronic manpower shortages. Compensation is not high compared to working conditions, and the workload is heavy. Moreover, the number of positions is small, making it the "most avoided" specialty among residents. Professor Kim expressed regret, saying, "Infectious disease specialists are considered a '3D' job. Even those who initially choose infectious diseases out of a sense of mission tend to choose other specialties for practical reasons as their years increase."

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and others, as of last year, there were 275 infectious disease specialists. From 206 specialists during the 2015 MERS outbreak, the number increased to 219 in 2016, 239 in 2017, and 258 in 2018, with about 15 specialists graduating each year. Professor Kim said, "There were calls to expand infectious disease personnel during MERS, but nothing has changed," adding, "Even before MERS, the number of infectious disease specialists increased by a similar scale annually."

Infectious disease departments are not only understaffed but also treated as "stepchildren" in hospitals. Due to the department's focus on infection control and prevention, which is far from profit generation, hospitals are reluctant to increase their staffing. Professor Kim explained, "Since 90% of domestic medical institutions are private, profitability is prioritized. Infectious disease doctors treating tuberculosis, AIDS, malaria, etc., do not generate profit because most patients recover within 2-3 weeks using antibiotics," explaining the background for the small number of infectious disease positions. He added with regret, "At least one infectious disease specialist should be present per 200 hospital beds, but this is not the case outside tertiary hospitals such as university hospitals."

For expanding infectious disease personnel, government support is crucial. Professor Kim emphasized, "Even if there are fellows willing to specialize in infectious diseases, there are no positions in hospitals," and added, "If the government supports increasing positions and allows them to gain related experience in Africa and Middle Eastern countries, they can be trained as infectious disease experts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.