Minister Jung Eunkyung Visits Pediatric ER on Holiday: "We Will Create a Safe Environment for Care"

Visit to Cheonan Pediatric Emergency Medical Center and Dalbit Children's Hospital

Jung Eun-kyung, Minister of Health and Welfare, visited Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital and Dujung Ijin Hospital in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, on May 10 to inspect the pediatric and adolescent medical care system and encourage medical staff, inpatients, and their guardians.

Jung Eun-kyung, Minister of Health and Welfare. Photo by Yonhap News

This on-site visit was organized in May, the Month of the Family, to review the operational performance of Pediatric Emergency Medical Centers, which handle severe emergency patients, and Dalbit Children's Hospitals, which mainly treat mild outpatient cases, to ensure smooth pediatric care even during weekday nights and holidays.

The government has designated and supported 14 Pediatric Emergency Medical Centers nationwide, securing dedicated doctors such as pediatricians or emergency medicine specialists and equipping them with specialized equipment and facilities to provide care tailored to pediatric emergencies. In addition, by continuously expanding the number of Dalbit Children's Hospitals (148 as of the end of April this year), where children can receive treatment at outpatient medical institutions during nights and holidays instead of emergency rooms, the government is alleviating emergency room overcrowding and reducing inconvenience for patients and their guardians.

As her first official schedule of the day, Minister Jung visited Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, the nation's first Pediatric Emergency Medical Center, to examine the facilities and hold a meeting with medical staff and local government officials. The meeting discussed practical measures to strengthen support for the stable operation of the emergency medical system, which is facing difficulties due to a decline in the number of residents specializing in essential medical fields, as well as ways to address gaps in pediatric care in non-metropolitan regions.

Minister Jung then visited the nearby Dujung Ijin Hospital, designated as a Dalbit Children's Hospital, where she inspected the facility, observed outpatient care on a holiday afternoon, and encouraged hospitalized pediatric patients and their guardians. She also expressed gratitude to the staff working on holidays and exchanged opinions on difficulties faced by pediatric departments at local community clinics and hospitals that provide primary care to patients, as well as on necessary institutional improvements.

Minister Jung stated, "I deeply appreciate all the pediatric medical staff on the front lines who are doing their utmost to ensure that children in life-threatening situations receive timely and safe treatment," adding, "Going forward, we will further strengthen various forms of government support so that medical professionals can focus solely on patient care, and we will create an environment where children throughout the country can receive care with peace of mind, regardless of where they live."

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