Signing of Business Agreement on the 26th, Joint Response to Preliminary Feasibility Exemption, etc.
Urgent Need to Expand Public Healthcare in Infectious Disease Public Health Crisis Situations
Busan Medical Center exterior. Ulsan and Gwangju do not have regional medical centers. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Ulsan City and Gwangju City have joined hands to establish local medical centers.
The two metropolitan cities in Yeongnam and Honam regions without local medical centers have decided to cooperate jointly for the essential establishment of local medical centers to build disaster response systems, resolve medical imbalance between regions, and establish medical safety nets.
On the 26th at 3 p.m., Ulsan City and Gwangju City signed a "Joint Response Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Establishment of Local Medical Centers" at the Local Autonomy Hall in Sejong City.
Among all cities and provinces nationwide, Ulsan and Gwangju, which lack local medical centers, recognized that the COVID-19 situation has amplified the crisis to citizen safety due to medical imbalance between regions and shortage of public medical facilities.
In the agreement, the two cities pledged to actively cooperate on △ sharing information necessary for promoting the establishment of local medical centers, △ jointly requesting exemption from preliminary feasibility studies, and △ urging political cooperation to strengthen the national public health care system and develop the establishment and operation system of local medical centers.
Song Cheol-ho, Mayor of Ulsan, said, "Although we have been mobilizing all administrative power to actively respond to the COVID-19 crisis that began last year, it is very regrettable that Ulsan citizens have no choice but to receive treatment in other regions due to the lack of treatment beds and medical personnel within the region."
Mayor Song added, "We must establish local medical centers to prepare for new and mutated infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and to protect the health and safety of citizens."
Ulsan City is currently conducting a "feasibility study" to submit a project plan to the Ministry of Health and Welfare in September regarding the establishment of Ulsan Medical Center, and is also conducting a city-wide signature campaign to convey the wishes of Ulsan citizens.
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