Striking junior doctors refuse to return to hospitals: S. Korea
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Around 12,000 trainee doctors have been on strike since February 20 in protest of the South Korean government’s reforms to combat the country's doctor shortage, leading to treatment and surgery cancellations.
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Doctors protest against the government’s plan to raise the annual enrollment quota at medical schools in Seoul, on February 15, 2024. (AFP)
Most striking junior doctors are refusing to return to hospitals despite government persuasion, the South Korean Health Ministry announced on Thursday, leading to further deterioration of the country’s healthcare system amid months of strikes.
"Unfortunately, it appears that the majority of junior doctors will not return," Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong said Thursday, referring to the 12,000 trainee doctors who have been on strike since February 20 in protest of the government’s reforms to combat the doctor shortage, leading to treatment and surgery cancellations.
The government refuses to retract the medical reforms meant to boost the healthcare system, especially since South Korea’s population is rapidly aging, but it has attempted to draw the striking doctors to return to the hospitals by ensuring they will not face prosecution.
Only 8.4% of trainee doctors from 211 general hospitals across the country have gone to work as of Wednesday morning, AFP reported, citing the Health Ministry.
Many striking physicians have handed in their resignations as part of their protest, while the government instructed hospitals to finalize the terminations of junior doctors who did not return to work on Monday. This order was met with criticism from Park Dan, the head of the Korean Intern Resident Association, who threatened legal action and blamed hospital directors for "interfering" with the doctors' chances at finding employment.
"The government has not presented any concrete plans or viable solutions to address the shortage of trainee doctors," Kim Sung-Ju, the head of the Korean Cancer Patients Rights Council, said to AFP, holding both the government and trainee physicians for the current state of the healthcare system.
"Trainee doctors have claimed they are being cast as 'villains', but it's unclear whether that characterization is entirely inaccurate at this stage,” he added.
The public has ultimately accepted the government’s reform plan, and they are accusing the doctors of failing to accept the resolution to protect their social status and salaries, especially when severely ill patients are the primary victims of the strike.
Doctors vs. the people
Medical professionals have strongly opposed a new government proposal to significantly increase medical school admissions by 2,000, arguing that it could negatively impact the quality of healthcare services. Critics argue that doctors are primarily worried about potential reductions in their salaries and social standing resulting from the reform.
In light of the suspension of medical licenses of thousands of doctors back in April, the president called on medics to return to hospitals before the suspension process was complete.
He continued that "the cartel of doctors had been strengthened" by every failure that previous governments had in increasing admissions. "We cannot repeat the same mistake again".
Despite opposition from doctors, the plan has garnered public support, with experts suggesting that the public is weary of extended wait times at hospitals. A Korean Gallup poll revealed that over 75% of respondents favor the plan, irrespective of their political affiliations.
However, doctors have vehemently opposed the plan, with the Korean Medical Association likening the government's legal threats to a "witch hunt".
Vice Minister Park emphasized that the plan is essential in South Korea's rapidly aging society. Without an increase in the current quota, doctors would face an "exponential demand" that could potentially overwhelm the healthcare system in the future.
"Hospitals are already having a hard time finding doctors now, and problems of accessing medical service in time have occurred repeatedly," Park added.
