[2022 National Audit] Jeon Hye-sook "Core COVID-19 Response National Medical Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare Submits Reduction Plan Despite Request for Increase"

Jeon Hye-sook, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Photo by Office of the Member]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] Despite the National Medical Center, which plays a key role in responding to COVID-19, requesting an increase in personnel, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has been criticized for instead submitting a plan to reduce nursing staff to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

According to materials submitted to Rep. Jeon Hye-sook of the Health and Welfare Committee of the National Assembly from the National Medical Center on the 5th, the National Medical Center had previously requested the Ministry of Health and Welfare in July to increase 112 regular employees, including 24 nursing staff.

However, the "National Medical Center Innovation Plan" submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to the Ministry of Economy and Finance the following month included a plan to reduce 28 nursing staff responsible for critical care. Rep. Jeon stated that this corresponds to a 22% reduction in nursing staff responding to severe COVID-19 patients.

Along with this, the innovation plan also included a plan to maintain only the minimum essential functions of the National Central Infectious Disease Hospital and operate it on a reduced scale once the COVID-19 outbreak subsides.

Rep. Jeon criticized that reducing the personnel and functions of the National Medical Center, which has suffered from chronic manpower shortages, directly conflicts with the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s policy, which has promised to strengthen essential and public healthcare through national agendas.

Rep. Jeon asserted, "The government must immediately scrap the personnel reduction plan in the National Medical Center innovation plan and boldly support the strengthening of public healthcare as promised."