Geumcheon-gu Establishes 'Infectious Disease Prevention Management Center'

Annual Implementation of 5 Tasks by 2025... Establishing a Continuous Quarantine System through Facility and Equipment, Securing Professional Personnel, Promotion and Education... Strengthening Infectious Disease Management System through Organic Cooperation with Large General Hospitals

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yu Seong-hoon) is promoting the ‘Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Center Establishment Project’ to provide professional and systematic infectious disease prevention and management in response to the periodic outbreaks of new infectious diseases such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 in the 21st century.

This project originated from the judgment that, despite past experiences dealing with infectious diseases like MERS and SARS, the initial response to COVID-19 was difficult due to poor basic quarantine conditions such as equipment and manpower, and that for highly contagious infectious diseases like COVID-19, rapid initial response and systematic management by region are necessary.

The district has established a phased implementation plan and aims to complete the project by 2025.

The ‘Infectious Disease Prevention and Management Center Establishment Project’ is being promoted through five tasks: ▲creating a safe infectious disease space within the public health center ▲strengthening infectious disease education and prevention activities ▲expanding specialized infectious disease management personnel ▲promoting self-quarantine practices and maintaining a constant stockpile of infectious disease response equipment ▲and establishing an organic cooperation system with local medical institutions.

First, the district is preparing a safe infectious disease space. Earlier, to improve the working environment of the screening clinic and prevent infections within it, the district installed an integrated negative pressure container outside the public health center in May, creating a safe space that separates medical staff and patients. A waiting room with heating and cooling was also installed for the convenience of staff working in summer and those waiting for tests.

Additionally, this year, the structure of the infectious disease management room within the public health center was changed to integrate the management of infectious disease information such as tuberculosis and syphilis during normal times, and to convert it into a safe infectious disease space in times of crisis. This system will operate an infectious disease prevention and management center linking the internal infectious disease management room and the external screening clinic.

The district is also reviewing the mid- to long-term task of constructing the infectious disease prevention and management center as an independent separate building, depending on conditions.

Furthermore, to block infection during the transport of infectious disease patients, a special ambulance equipped with a negative pressure device and filtering system will be purchased and operated in September.

The second task is to strengthen infectious disease education and prevention activities. This year, the district enacted the ‘Geumcheon-gu Ordinance on the Prevention and Management of Infectious Diseases’ and, in cooperation with the local medical association, will provide tailored infectious disease prevention education from infants to the elderly and conduct periodic infectious disease response training for all staff. Through this, the district plans to systematize infectious disease prevention in daily life and enhance the capacity to respond immediately in case of an outbreak.

The third task is to expand specialized infectious disease management personnel. By 2020, the district plans to strengthen the infectious disease management system by reorganizing the public health center to secure infectious disease staff, personnel dedicated to infectious disease prevention education, epidemiological investigators, and disinfection workers.

The fourth task is to prepare for emergencies through the promotion of self-quarantine practices and stockpiling infectious disease response equipment. To realize Infectious Disease ZERO Geumcheon, the district will operate a joint public-private permanent disinfection team, hold monthly Infectious Disease Clean Days, lend disinfection equipment year-round, and establish a stockpile warehouse for infectious disease-related supplies to enable rapid response in case of an outbreak.

Finally, the district will establish a constant infectious disease response system through organic cooperation with local medical institutions. In connection with the large general hospital construction project on the former Korea Electric Wire site, which is a key project of the district, it plans to build a regional hub hospital fully equipped with an infectious disease management system to establish an integrated infectious disease management cooperation system.

Yu Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, “We plan to build a system that can respond quickly and systematically not only to COVID-19 but to infectious diseases in general,” and added, “We will mobilize all the district’s capabilities to protect the safety and health of residents through professional and proactive infectious disease prevention and management.”

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