People Power Party Extends Helping Hand to Medical Community...Joint Response to Essential Healthcare Crisis

As the pediatric essential healthcare crisis at Ajou University Hospital spreads, the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Provincial Committee has extended a helping hand to medical organizations and launched joint responses to resolve medical issues.

According to the People Power Party's Gyeonggi Provincial Committee on the 28th, the committee held a policy consultation meeting on that day in the 4th-floor conference room of the provincial committee headquarters and discussed the crisis in the essential medical system, judicial and administrative regulations on medical professionals, and ways to improve medical institutions. Attending the consultation meeting were committee chair Kim Eun-hye and provincial party committee chairs including Kim Ki-nam (Gwangmyeong A), Lee Su-jeong (Suwon District), Koh Seok (Yongin B), as well as medical community figures including Gyeonggi Province Medical Association President Lee Dong-wook and General Affairs Vice President Kang Bong-soo.

This consultation meeting was arranged as an occasion for the People Power Party to directly hear the voices from the medical field and establish a policy cooperation relationship with medical organizations. Both sides agreed on the need for continued consultation to resolve medical issues.

Committee Chair Kim Eun-hye mentioned the seizure and search of Ajou University Hospital's Pediatric Emergency Medical Center on the 30th of last month and the subsequent resignation statements of seven specialists, saying "it shocked not only the medical community but the entire nation."

She further pointed out that "investigative conduct that disregarded the special nature of essential medical care not only threatened patients at a life-and-death crossroads but forced doctors at the frontlines of emergency medicine to leave the field."

Previously, it was reported that at Ajou University Hospital's Pediatric Emergency Center, following the police seizure and search, seven out of nine specialists indicated their intention to resign. However, it was reported that this had not yet reached the stage of actual resignation letter submission or retirement.

Another case from the medical field in southern Gyeonggi Province was also raised during the consultation meeting.

Kim Ok-sook, an advisory member of the Gyeonggi Province Medical Association, claimed that a pediatrics physician who participated in emergency childbirth care at night at a hospital in Dongtan, Hwaseong City was given a two-year license suspension this year for allegedly instructing a nurse to take X-ray images.

Advisory Member Kim emphasized that as the hospital has been responsible for nighttime neonatal intensive care in the region, institutional improvements considering the special nature of the medical field are necessary. However, the specific circumstances and legality of the disciplinary action require separate verification.

President Lee Dong-wook raised the necessity of enacting a Medical Accident Handling Special Act and expressed agreement with continued policy cooperation with the People Power Party.

President Lee stated, "Today's meeting must not be a one-time occurrence" and "We must continue to correct flawed medical systems through regular policy consultations going forward."

After the consultation meeting, both sides adopted a joint resolution and called for an end to excessive judicial and administrative regulations on medical professionals, improvement of irrational medical policies, and preparation of measures to revive essential and regional medical services.

In particular, they called for consistent regulatory standards that take into account patient safety and medical professionals' expertise, noting that the standards for permitted medical procedures should not differ based on the size of medical institutions.

The People Power Party's Gyeonggi Provincial Committee and the Gyeonggi Province Medical Association will hereinafter establish a policy consultation body to share issues in the medical field and continue joint responses for institutional improvements and recovery of regional essential medical services.