Naju-si Establishes 'Emergency Medical Care System' in Preparation for Medical Sector General Strike

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yukbong] Naju City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Kang In-gyu) is making every effort to minimize medical service gaps ahead of the nationwide medical strike.

On the 13th, the city announced that it will establish and operate an emergency medical system in preparation for the closure of local medical institutions due to the Korean Medical Association's general strike.

Additionally, until the strike (closure) ends, the public health center will operate a 24-hour emergency medical response situation room, and the operating hours of 30 health institutions, including health sub-centers and health clinics, will be extended by 2 hours from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Naju General Hospital, a regional emergency medical institution, will operate its emergency room 24 hours normally.

To ensure the normal operation of the local medical community and minimize inconvenience to citizens, on the 10th, the city distributed official letters under the name of Jeollanam-do to 78 medical institutions urging them to provide medical services on strike days and to report closures.

Through the operation of the emergency medical response situation room, the city plans to minimize citizen inconvenience by providing emergency medical guidance and inspecting for illegal closures.

During the strike period, inquiries about the operation of local hospitals and clinics can be made to the Naju Public Health Center, the Health and Welfare Call Center, or the 119 Emergency Management Center, or by using the Emergency Medical Portal site and the Emergency Medical Information Service (E-GEN) app.

Mayor Kang In-gyu said, “Through the normal operation of emergency medical institutions, there will be no disruption in emergency patient care, which was a concern due to the strike announcement. Citizens who require periodic prescriptions for chronic diseases are advised to check in advance whether clinics are closed through the public health center or the Health and Welfare Call Center.”