Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital Selected as Infectious Disease Specialized Hospital for Gyeongbuk Region

Final Selection by Evaluation Committee Comprising 15 Experts

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced on the 23rd that Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital was selected as the winner among four medical institutions that participated in the public contest for the establishment of an infectious disease specialized hospital in the Gyeongbuk region.

KDCA conducted the public contest for infectious disease specialized hospitals targeting general hospitals or higher medical institutions located in Daegu and Gyeongbuk from March 31 to May 27. A selection evaluation committee composed of 15 experts in medical care, nursing, and architecture conducted document reviews, presentation evaluations, and on-site assessments to select the medical institution with the highest overall score.

Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital received high scores in most evaluation areas, including its track record in treating infectious diseases such as COVID-19, plans for operating an infectious disease specialized hospital, and suitability of the construction site.

The infectious disease specialized hospital establishment project is a national agenda promoted to enable rapid response to large-scale emerging infectious disease outbreaks and other national public health crises. Regional infectious disease specialized hospitals are professional medical institutions designed to quickly isolate and treat large numbers of patients with emerging infectious diseases within the region to prevent the spread of infection at an early stage. During infectious disease crises, they serve as control towers for medical response by providing intensive care for severe patients within the region, managing patient referral and transfer systems between cities and provinces, and establishing a safety net. In normal times, they conduct diagnosis, treatment, and testing of infectious disease patients within the region and provide education and training for infectious disease response specialists in public and private medical institutions within the region.

Jung Eun-kyung, Commissioner of KDCA, stated, “With the selection of the Gyeongbuk region infectious disease specialized hospital, we expect it to play a significant role in infectious disease response in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk areas. Together with the existing three regional infectious disease specialized hospitals, we will do our best to ensure the smooth establishment of the Gyeongbuk region infectious disease specialized hospital.”