'No Doctors, Medical Services Halted' Obstetrics and Gynecology at Incheon Baengnyeong Hospital... Resumed After Two and a Half Years

The Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Baengnyeong Hospital, Incheon Medical Center, which had suspended outpatient services since April 2021 due to a lack of doctors willing to work on the island, has resumed medical services after two and a half years.

Incheon City announced that the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Baengnyeong Hospital, the only such department in Ongjin County?which includes Baengnyeong, Daecheong, and Socheong Islands?resumed consultations on the 11th. Baengnyeong Hospital of Incheon Medical Center is an institution supported by the Maternity Vulnerable Area Support Project, which provides facilities, equipment, and operational expenses to establish and operate obstetrics and gynecology departments in areas lacking delivery-capable facilities.

Baengnyeong Hospital Exterior [Photo provided by Incheon City]

Since July 2015, Ongjin County has been designated as a Grade A maternity vulnerable area and has operated an outpatient obstetrics support project. Until now, specialists and public health doctors at Baengnyeong Hospital have provided outpatient obstetrics services. However, due to the harsher living conditions on the island compared to the mainland, it was difficult to recruit doctors, resulting in the suspension of outpatient services for over two years.

Incheon City and Baengnyeong Hospital took measures such as increasing doctors' salaries and strengthening publicity, successfully recruiting an obstetrics specialist after more than two years. Baengnyeong Hospital has also established a remote consultation system and helicopter transport network with Gil Hospital and Inha University Hospital in Incheon to prepare for emergency deliveries.

Currently, Baengnyeong Hospital employs three specialists, seven public health doctors, and eight nurses, providing medical services in pediatrics, dentistry, obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, anesthesiology and pain medicine, plastic surgery, and thoracic surgery.

An official from Incheon City stated, "In island regions, the burden on expectant mothers is significant due to long-distance travel for prenatal and postnatal checkups," adding, "With the resumption of obstetrics services at Baengnyeong Hospital, we expect it to contribute to the safe childbirth of mothers in Incheon’s island areas."

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