Korean Medical Association "Operation of Medical Referral Center for Medical Support of Itaewon Disaster Bereaved Families and Injured"

Lee Pil-su, President of the Korean Medical Association, is providing medical care at the clinic set up at the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Itaewon disaster in Seoul Plaza on the 1st.
[Photo by Korean Medical Association]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Korean Medical Association announced on the 14th that it has established a specialized medical institution linkage system to provide medical support for the bereaved families and injured related to the Itaewon incident, and will begin operation from the 16th.

The KMA previously proposed to the government the "Active Medical Support Plan for Bereaved Families and Injured of the Itaewon Incident," so that victims who wish to receive treatment from psychiatric specialists, beyond the health consultations provided by the National Trauma Center, can receive appropriate care at specialized medical institutions.

The active medical support plan is a psychological and medical support linkage system to be operated through a cooperative framework among the government, the KMA, and the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association, involving collaboration between the National Trauma Center, the KMA Situation Room (Medical Coordination Center), and mental health medical institutions.

When the National Trauma Center determines that psychiatric treatment is necessary during consultations with bereaved families, injured persons, or their families, or if the individual wishes to receive specialist treatment, the KMA Medical Coordination Center plays the role of finding and matching suitable medical institutions by comprehensively considering regional accessibility and the preferences of the subjects.

The Korean Neuropsychiatric Association and the Korean Society of Mental Health Medicine are recruiting participating institutions among psychiatric hospitals and clinics nationwide, and these medical institutions will be responsible for providing professional treatment and care to the support recipients.

Lee Pil-su, president of the KMA, said, "In establishing this psychological and medical support linkage system, we have built a close cooperative framework with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association, and the Korean Society of Mental Health Medicine. It is meaningful in that experts can promptly intervene early in trauma experienced after disasters, reduce aftereffects through professional treatment, and help speedy recovery."

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