South Korea: discontent among interns grows and disrupts hospitals
The doctors' rebellion does not weaken.
Many South Korean hospitals are extremely disrupted by the protest movement launched by interns.
71% resigned to protest against a reform of the numerus clausus.
In front of an emergency department in Seoul, South Korea, February 22, 2024. AFP - ANTHONY WALLACE
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According to Deputy Health Minister Park Min-soo, 7,813 interns did not show up for work on Wednesday, five times more than on the first day of the movement on Monday.
The amplification of the intern protest movement is therefore causing significant disruption in the country's hospitals.
In
South Korea
, interns are an essential part of hospitals.
According to the Yonhap news agency, the country's five main hospitals canceled 50% of scheduled surgeries on Wednesday.
Social networks are flooded with complaints from patients left behind.
A group of patients suffering from serious illnesses, including cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, said in a statement to AFP that their members were experiencing “
terribly painful days
”.
“
We are desperate every minute, every second that passes.
Seriously ill patients should be treated immediately
,” they said.
Also read: South Korea: interns resign en masse to protest against reform
For its part, the government, which describes this action as illegal, ordered people to return to hospitals.
“
The primary purpose of medical professionals is to protect people's health and lives, and any collective action that threatens that mission is unjustifiable
,” Park said.
“
Korean law is too harsh”
The standoff began following a reform by the authorities who want to increase the number of doctors because, despite the fact that South Korea has one of the most renowned health systems in the world, it is also experiencing a serious crisis medical desertification.
Particularly because the majority of Korean doctors practice in the capital and they favor more lucrative medicine such as cosmetic surgery, reports our correspondent, Célio Fioretti.
Thus, unprofitable sectors such as pediatricians are lacking workers.
Joo Soo-ho, former president of the medical association, contests.
“
Korean law is too harsh on medical errors in these sectors, which is why many of us prefer to work in less difficult services
,” he argues.
South Korea is currently one of the worst performers in the
OECD
with only 2.5 doctors per 1000 inhabitants.
But according to Joo Soo-ho, that's not the problem.
“
Yes, our health system has problems.
But the government compares us to other countries and explains that we lack doctors, that is false, we do not need additional hands
,” he argues.
Arguments that go down badly with South Koreans who criticize a revolt of the privileged, neglecting the health of patients for their own profit.
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