Civic Groups: "Severe Harm to Socially Vulnerable Due to Medical Collapse... Government Must Take Action"

Citizen Groups "Government Must Prepare Measures for Medical Service Gaps"
Request for Human Rights Commission to Investigate Medical Rights Violations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] As the shortage of hospital beds worsens due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), concerns have been raised that this situation could lead to violations of the medical rights of vulnerable groups. Civic organizations are urging the government to step in and establish protective measures for these vulnerable populations.

On the morning of the 15th, 27 civic groups including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, Health and Alternatives, and the Solidarity for Poverty held a press conference in front of the National Human Rights Commission, stating, "The last hospital in Seoul where homeless people could receive treatment has been designated as a COVID-19 dedicated hospital, resulting in patients being forced out during their hospitalization," and "Even at the Central Veterans Hospital, one of the public hospitals, patients were almost driven out to secure COVID-19 beds." According to them, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rapidly increased, not only confirmed patients but also general patients have been unable to receive appropriate treatment. In particular, the damage suffered by socially disadvantaged, minorities, and vulnerable groups who originally used public hospitals is at a serious level.

The civic organizations criticized, "As public hospitals became COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, a medical gap emerged where timely diagnosis and treatment could not be received, but the government has not prepared any alternatives."

They have been urging active government response since the death of 17-year-old Jung Yoo-yeop in March during the first major outbreak in Daegu and Gyeongbuk, caused by a COVID-19 medical gap, but the government has neither mentioned this nor even grasped the scale of the damage. They emphasized, "Despite having over 10 months of experience with the COVID-19 situation and time to respond, the government has not prepared proper measures."

The civic groups called on the government to secure hospital beds and medical personnel to prepare countermeasures against the medical gap. As a solution, they also proposed actively mobilizing private hospitals. Furthermore, they urged the National Human Rights Commission to conduct an investigation into the violations of medical rights that occurred during the COVID-19 response process. The civic organizations stated, "Through the 'COVID-19 Medical Gap Human Rights Investigation,' it was found that a large number of citizens are in a situation of medical gaps," and added, "The Human Rights Commission should play a role in tracking and revealing the violations of citizens’ medical rights, and the government must actively present alternatives to overcome this unprecedented crisis, including securing hospital beds." They also demanded that quarantine authorities prepare measures to prevent medical gaps when establishing quarantine policies.

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