Provincial Primary Care Service Gyeongnam Doctor Bus to Run Again This September

Free Medical Checkups for 50 People per Session, 2 to 4 Times a Month

The ‘Provincial Resident Primary Care Gyeongnam Doctor Bus,’ which had stopped operating due to the impact of COVID-19, will run again throughout the province starting this September.

According to Gyeongnam Province on the 11th, the Doctor Bus was specially manufactured as a screening bus equipped with 13 types of medical equipment at a cost of 506 million KRW in 2017 and began operation in January 2018.

Before it was suspended due to the large-scale spread of COVID-19, it visited 57 medically underserved areas in the province and monitored the health of about 6,500 residents.

The province announced that it will resume the free screening project of the Doctor Bus, which visits residents to detect diseases early and prevent complications.

To address the imbalance in healthcare services within the province, the bus will visit areas lacking ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and urology clinics or with low medical accessibility to provide medical services.

Lee Dowan, Director of Welfare and Health Bureau of Gyeongnam Province, is announcing the resumption of the operation of the 'Provincial Primary Care Doctor Gyeongnam Doctor Bus.'
[Photo by Lee Seryeong]

The free screening project will be conducted entrusted to Masan Medical Center, providing examinations in ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and urology?diseases common among the elderly that require specialized diagnostic equipment.

The examination items include basic ophthalmology tests, hearing tests, nasal and pharyngeal examinations, eardrum examinations, prostate ultrasound, and tests for urinary obstruction and voiding disorders.

If health warning signs such as cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma, benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, or presbycusis are detected, guidance for hospital treatment and healthcare services linked with public health centers will be provided.

The Doctor Bus team consists of a total of 12 personnel, including professors from Gyeongsang National University Hospital responsible for the three medical specialties, examination staff from Masan Medical Center, nurses, and administrative staff.

The province, in cooperation with city and county governments, has initially selected 14 areas, including the western Gyeongnam military regions.

From September to December this year, free screenings will be conducted 2 to 4 times a month at locations designated by each city and county, targeting 50 people per session.

The screening hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with no screenings during lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The screening schedule starts on September 7 in Sancheong County, followed by Namhae County, Goseong County, Hadong County, Uiryeong County, island areas of Tongyeong City, Haman County, Sacheon City, Hapcheon County, Changnyeong County, Geochang County, Hamyang County, Geoje City, and Gimhae City in that order.

Residents who wish to receive free screenings can inquire at the Public Health Medical Team of Masan Medical Center or the health centers of their respective city or county for guidance.

Lee Do-wan, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau, said, “We hope to improve the quality of life by detecting diseases early among residents in rural and fishing villages who lack specialized medical departments and contribute to their happiness. We will do our best to provide medical service benefits to more residents through this visiting public health project, which is a great support for residents in medically underserved areas.”

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