Health and Medical Workers' Union: "Two-Week Suspension of Gradual Daily Recovery Needed... Private and Public Healthcare Must Respond with Full Effort"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Amid the ongoing spread of COVID-19, there have been calls to temporarily halt the transition to With-Corona and implement fundamental measures, including a full-scale joint response by public and private medical institutions.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU), affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, held an urgent press conference titled "COVID-19 Medical Response System Review and On-site Testimony" on the afternoon of the 13th at the KHMU office in Dangsan-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. They stated, "There is a shortage of hospital beds, and even the secured beds are not being operated efficiently. Furthermore, home treatment is not being properly managed, revealing the limitations of the With-Corona policy, which was implemented without adequate preparation."

They continued, "Considering that it is practically difficult to establish a medical response system to prepare for With-Corona in the current manner, we propose temporarily pausing the phased recovery of daily life for about two weeks to properly prepare for a long-term battle."

The KHMU also said, "At the government-wide level, the control tower for COVID-19 response and phased daily recovery must be reorganized. Given the current shortage and vulnerable structure of intensive care units (ICUs), it is necessary to actively control the allocation of COVID-19 ICUs as shared resources and secure moderate to severe patient beds in tertiary hospitals to improve the turnover rate of ICU beds and enhance efficiency."

They further called for establishing a full-scale response system involving both public and private medical institutions during the temporary halt of the transition to With-Corona. The KHMU proposed, "Urgent participation plans for private medical institutions, which account for 90% of Korean healthcare, should be urgently prepared to build a system where public and private sectors respond together. A plan to secure beds in stages up to 10-15% should be developed so that private medical institutions can adequately prepare and provide beds. This will allow private hospitals to postpone non-urgent, non-emergency, and non-essential treatments and surgeries, and focus on infectious disease treatment and essential/emergency patients by reallocating beds and personnel." They added, "The current method where public hospitals bear the full burden of COVID-19 response is no longer sustainable."

In addition, the KHMU urged for the public management of private hospital beds, securing healthcare personnel, and the formation of a comprehensive social response council.

Moreover, the KHMU emphasized, "Finally, to properly prepare for phased daily recovery and a long-term battle, it is crucial to thoroughly monitor and follow up on the implementation of the 23-point labor-government agreement reached on September 2 between the KHMU and the Ministry of Health and Welfare regarding infectious disease response, expansion of public healthcare, and securing healthcare personnel." Previously, on September 2, the KHMU and the Ministry of Health and Welfare had established a 22-point labor-government agreement covering the expansion of healthcare personnel, strengthening public healthcare, and building an infectious disease response system.

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