Professor Kang Seungji of Jeonnam National University Hospital Awarded the Presidential Citation for COVID-19 Response Excellence

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Gwan-woo] Jeonnam National University Hospital announced on the 22nd that Professor Kang Seung-ji of the Department of Infectious Diseases recently received the Order of Service Merit for his contributions to COVID-19 response.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare selected Professor Kang for the Order of Service Merit in recognition of his contributions to patient treatment and prevention of COVID-19 spread, as part of an award program to encourage and boost the morale of medical staff dedicated to COVID-19 medical sites.

Since Jeonnam National University Hospital was designated as an infectious disease specialized hospital last year, Professor Kang has played a leading role in isolating and treating over 1,000 mild to moderate patients until last month.

He established a cooperative system with medical staff from COVID-19 treatment institutions in the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions, including Jeonnam National University Hospital, Chosun University Hospital, Gwangju Veterans Hospital, and the medical centers of Suncheon, Gangjin, and Mokpo cities, sharing bed status among hospitals to ensure rapid inter-institutional transfer of patients according to severity.

These efforts greatly contributed to maintaining a lower infection fatality rate in the Gwangju area compared to other regions.

Professor Kang also served as a member of the COVID-19 Public-Private Countermeasures Committee and as head of the Jeollanam-do Infectious Disease Management Support Group, providing advice not only on patient treatment but also on social distancing adjustments in the Gwangju area, securing beds and patient allocation, resource procurement, and infectious disease management.

Additionally, he visited public health centers and nursing hospitals in Jeonnam’s cities and counties to inspect medical systems and conduct infection prevention education for related personnel, and participated in epidemiological investigations when patients occurred within Jeonnam, playing a significant role in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

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