Pediatric Cancer Surgeries Down 24% Year-on-Year... Rare Diseases Decrease by 13%

The number of surgeries for pediatric cancer and rare diseases decreased by 24% and 13%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

On the morning of May 3rd, Han Duck-soo, the Prime Minister, visited the hospital school operating in the pediatric cancer ward of the National Cancer Center in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, encouraging children patients who are studying while undergoing treatment.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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According to data submitted by Kang Sun-woo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on the 4th, the number of pediatric cancer patients (aged 0-18) who underwent surgery at tertiary general hospitals, general hospitals, and clinics nationwide from February to July this year?when medical gaps occurred due to the resignation of residents?was 452. This is about a 24% decrease compared to 591 pediatric cancer patients who underwent surgery during the same period last year.

By type of medical institution, the number of patients at tertiary general hospitals, where residents resigned, decreased, while the number of patients at general hospitals and clinics increased. Considering only the 'Big 5' hospitals in Seoul, the number of pediatric cancer surgery patients decreased by 32%, from 468 to 320. The total number of patients at the Big 5 and other tertiary general hospitals decreased by 27%, from 552 to 405.

On the other hand, the number of pediatric cancer surgery patients at general hospitals and clinics increased by 20%, from 39 to 47 cases.

Surgeries for rare diseases also decreased compared to the same period last year. From February to July this year, the number of patients eligible for special calculation cases for rare diseases who underwent surgery at tertiary general hospitals, general hospitals, and clinics nationwide was 1,827, a 13% decrease from 2,097 during the same period last year.

The number of special calculation case surgeries for rare diseases at tertiary general hospitals decreased by 20%, from 1,725 to 1,383. Considering only the Big 5, the number decreased by 18%, from 898 to 738. Conversely, similar to pediatric cancer, the number of surgery patients at general hospitals and clinics increased by 19%, from 372 to 444.

The government-operated physician collective action damage report center has received numerous reports of pediatric cancer surgeries being canceled or outpatient treatments for rare and intractable diseases being delayed.

Assembly member Kang Sun-woo stated, "Due to government policy failures, the most vulnerable and marginalized members of our society, such as pediatric cancer and rare disease patients, have suffered damages," adding, "The government should prepare tailored measures based on the reported cases."

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