Health and Medical Workers' Union Urges Gyeongnam Governor Candidates to Adopt Pledges to Address Healthcare Inequality

The Ulsan-Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union has presented pledges to the candidates for Governor of Gyeongnam Province ahead of the 9th simultaneous nationwide local elections, urging them to adopt measures to address healthcare disparities within the province.

On May 7, the Health and Medical Workers' Union Ulsan-Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters held a press conference at the Gyeongnam Provincial Government Press Center, stating, "In Gyeongnam, not only is the healthcare gap with the greater Seoul area widening, but inequalities among different regions within the province are also becoming more severe. This upcoming local election is a critical opportunity to break this chain of tragedy."

The union explained, "Residents in western Gyeongnam are forced to travel to other regions for treatment, and it has become commonplace for people to lose their golden hour while searching for emergency rooms. The lack of public healthcare infrastructure has become a major driver of population outflow and the risk of local extinction."

They added, "Out of the 18 cities and counties in the province, 14—excluding Jinju, Changwon, Gimhae, and Yangsan—are designated as emergency medical vulnerable areas. In the face of the urgent task to strengthen essential community-based public healthcare and establish a locally self-sufficient healthcare system, we urge the candidates to make responsible decisions."

The Ulsan Gyeongnam Regional Headquarters of the Health and Medical Workers' Union is presenting pledges to the candidates for governor of Gyeongnam Province in the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections and urging them to adopt them.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

They demanded the following: ▲ the establishment of the Western Gyeongnam Medical Center and early completion of the Masan Medical Center expansion; ▲ confirmation within the year of the relocation and construction of Geochang and Tongyeong Red Cross Hospitals; ▲ exemption from the preliminary feasibility study and prompt construction of Gimhae Medical Center.

They also called for: ▲ expansion of the regional essential physician system; ▲ enactment of an ordinance to support health and medical workers; ▲ establishment of a metropolitan health and medical workforce support center; and ▲ introduction of a certification system for labor conditions, all to be included in the pledges.

Additional demands included: ▲ enactment of an ordinance to compensate for public interest losses at public hospitals; ▲ establishment of a public health and medical fund; ▲ strengthening Gyeongnam's health and medical control tower; ▲ expanding and reinforcing the functions of the Public Health and Medical Support Group; ▲ building a real-time bed and transfer system connecting university hospitals, public hospitals, 119 emergency services, and community health centers within the province, and operating a regional essential medical operations headquarters; and ▲ establishing a 24-hour pediatric emergency care system by operating Dalbit Children's Hospital and region-specific nighttime pediatric counseling centers.

Further proposals included: ▲ full expansion of integrated nursing care services; ▲ expansion of Gyeongnam-style integrated medical-care and home-visit healthcare systems; ▲ introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) imaging interpretation and work automation systems; ▲ expansion of specialized examination equipment and sign language interpretation services for people with disabilities; ▲ establishment of infectious disease centers at public health centers and expansion of specialized infection control personnel; ▲ improvement of energy efficiency and mandatory eco-friendly standards when investing in public hospitals; ▲ enactment of an ordinance to encourage and support blood donation; ▲ strengthening the guarantee of health rights for migrants; and ▲ promotion of pilot projects for Gyeongnam-style sickness benefits.

The union emphasized, "Efforts such as establishing the Western Gyeongnam Medical Center, early commencement of the Masan Medical Center expansion, confirmation within the year of the relocation and construction of Geochang and Tongyeong Red Cross Hospitals, and exemption from the preliminary feasibility study for Gimhae Medical Center must be swiftly implemented so all residents can access medical care within 30 minutes."

They continued, "To prevent the closure of clinical departments due to a lack of physicians, the regional essential physician system—currently being promoted as a government pilot project—should be expanded with additional provincial funding, making local hospitals responsible for providing care and creating an environment where healthcare workers do not leave."

"In addition to the special account for essential healthcare provided by the central government, stable funds should be established at the local government level to ensure that public hospitals can focus solely on the health and lives of residents. The 'benevolent deficit' resulting from providing essential healthcare must be legally recognized as a public service expense, not as a management failure," they urged.

They also stated, "Post-discharge, home-visit primary care services and the Gyeongnam-style integrated care model should be expanded to all cities and counties, ensuring that residents can safely receive care in their communities."

Furthermore, they called for "the dismantling of administrative barriers between health and welfare, the establishment of permanent democratic governance where workers and residents participate in policy decisions, and the expansion of the Gyeongnam Public Health and Medical Support Group's functions to provide tailored operational support for each region."

The union concluded, "Through this election, we will fight together with the residents to build a Gyeongnam where everyone can feel safe regardless of where they live, and where the right to equal treatment and health is guaranteed for all."

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