The Korean Medical Association Submits Recommendations on National Infectious Disease Policies to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

Lee Pil-su, President of the Korean Medical Association (left), and Baek Kyung-ran, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (right), held a meeting on the 16th to discuss infectious disease policies and current issues in the medical field.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Korean Medical Association announced that Chairman Lee Pil-soo visited the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on the 16th and held a meeting with Commissioner Baek Kyung-ran to convey medical community issues, including proposals related to national infectious disease policies and COVID-19 measures.

During the meeting, both parties agreed to establish a real-time hotline communication system between the medical and government sectors to enable more immediate and smooth communication channels during infectious disease situations and to cooperate mutually.

The KMA proposed unifying the communication channel with the government through the KMA for COVID-19 and new infectious disease preparedness, conducting sufficient prior consultations with official expert organizations, and enhancing expertise through information sharing with the medical community in the formulation of major national disease control policies.

Chairman Lee stated, “The medical community and the KDCA must actively exchange opinions to respond to COVID-19 as well as new infectious diseases. In particular, since the government has emphasized scientific evidence in national infectious disease response, it is essential that the KMA-recommended members from health and medical expert organizations be included in the KDCA’s official medical committees and consultative bodies.”

Commissioner Baek said, “We sincerely thank the medical community for their efforts in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. As we plan to promote policies based on key elements such as evidence-based scientific quarantine, big data, and expert participation, we will carefully review the proposals made by the KMA and strive to advance the infectious disease system through smooth communication with the medical community.”

Additionally, the KMA expressed concern that despite officially presenting the opinion last year that “effective training for radiation safety managers should be conducted at intervals of at least five years,” this was not reflected at all in the revised and promulgated notification, and repeatedly emphasized the need for cooperation from the KDCA to improve this matter.

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