"Medical Community and Government Unite to Urgently Revive Essential Healthcare"

I Pil-su, President of the Korean Medical Association, "Urgent Administrative and Financial Support Measures Needed"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The Korean Medical Association (KMA) participated in the 'Consultative Body with the Medical Community to Revive Essential Medical Services' held on the 19th at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and presented the medical community's opinions on fostering and supporting essential medical services.

In his opening remarks, KMA President Lee Pil-su stated, "The medical community has continuously raised concerns and voiced worries about the crisis in essential medical services," emphasizing, "It is absolutely necessary for the government to promptly inject funds and implement definite institutional improvements so that doctors no longer avoid essential medical fields and can choose them with a sense of duty and conviction."

President Lee added, "Essential medical services are directly related to the lives and safety of the people and are an urgent task to protect the nation's future. Therefore, drastic measures must be devised before it is too late," and further said, "I hope that through this consultative body, the government and the medical community will engage in sufficient discussions and communication to derive fundamental and innovative solutions to revive the collapsing essential medical services."

The KMA explained that the avoidance of residency applications in departments such as internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics is worsening, and that securing specialists and operational difficulties are making it hard for medical institutions to operate and maintain normal functions. Furthermore, they stressed the need for strong administrative and financial support from the national and local governments for essential medical workers, service institutions, and supporting companies to ensure the smooth provision of essential medical services.

Going forward, through a working-level consultative body, the KMA plans to propose ▲ the formation of a medical-government essential medical support consultative body ▲ alleviation of legal dispute burdens such as the enactment of a Medical Dispute Special Act ▲ improvement of regulations and policies hindering the revival of essential medical services ▲ revitalization of primary care in essential medical fields ▲ training and support of essential medical personnel ▲ substantial financial investment in essential medical fields ▲ establishment of an Essential Medical Policy Deliberation Committee and a government-dedicated organization for essential medical support.

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