Hospitals hit as more trainee doctors strike in South Korea
SEOUL: South Korea’s emergency rooms are overcrowded, with major hospitals having to cancel scheduled surgeries, after thousands of trainee doctors joined a protest walkout yesterday, media said, as a minister warned of danger to seriously ill patients.
The walkout, prompted by a government plan to admit more students to medical school, could threaten people’s lives and safety, authorities said, while threatening an investigation and the possible arrest of those responsible.
“Police and the prosecutors’ office will consult and take measures against any group or individuals who are leading collective action, including arrest and investigation,” Safety Minister Lee Sang-min said.
Apart from overcrowded emergency rooms, five major hospitals here had to cancel a third to half of scheduled surgeries, media said.
The Health Ministry said 7,813 doctors have left their jobs since the protests began this week.
Vice-Health Minister Park Minsoo urged protesters to prioritise patients over collective action.
“The basic calling of medical professionals is to protect the health and lives of the people, and any group action that threatens that cannot be justified.”
To boost healthcare in remote areas and meet growing demand in one of the world’s most rapidly ageing societies, the government wants to boost medical school admissions to 5,000 from 2025, against 3,000 now, and then add 10,000 more by 2035.
But protesters say South Korea has enough doctors, calling instead for better pay and work conditions, particularly for specialists in key areas such as paediatrics and emergency medicine, before recruiting more students.
South Korea’s population of 52 million had 2.6 doctors per 1,000 people in 2022, far below the average of 3.7 for peers in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.