Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital Accelerates Efforts to Secure 'Regional Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital Project'

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kang Woo-kwon] Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital announced on the 4th that it is pursuing the acquisition of the Yeongnam Regional Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital construction project.

The Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital construction project is a project to establish facilities by region to respond to disaster-level infectious disease crises with high fatality rates and transmissibility, such as the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency invited applications from general hospitals and tertiary hospitals located in the Yeongnam and Central regions by the 22nd of last month for participation in the 'Regional Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital Additional Construction Project.'

Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital is accessible within one hour from all major cities in the Yeongnam region, including Busan, Ulsan, Changwon, Jinju, and Daegu, and has high accessibility to airports and ports, making it geographically recognized as the optimal location for infectious disease response.

Additionally, the hospital employs 57 specialists in infectious diseases and respiratory illnesses and 3 nurses certified as infection control practitioners, forming a medical team capable of responding to infectious diseases.

If Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital secures the project, it plans to invest 40.9 billion KRW in national funds and 36.1 billion KRW from hospital funds to build a large-scale infectious disease specialized hospital on a 5,630㎡ site, with three basement floors and eight above-ground floors, operating outpatient clinics, negative pressure operating rooms, an infectious disease training center, negative pressure isolation intensive care units, respiratory intensive care units, negative pressure isolation wards, and respiratory wards.

Hospital Director Kim Dae-sung expressed his determination, stating, "We will successfully acquire the regional infectious disease specialized hospital project and provide safe medical services to the region against new infectious diseases."