First Introduction of 'Mobile Screening' in Special Health Checkups for Women Farmers

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Selects 18 Cities and Counties for Pilot Project on Special Health Checkups for Women Farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on the 14th that it has selected 18 cities and counties as pilot project sites for the special health checkup for female farmers this year.

The special health checkup pilot project for 9,000 female farmers this year has introduced a 'mobile checkup type' for the first time, which visits rural areas with a checkup bus to increase the examination rate and provide convenience, considering the poor accessibility to medical institutions in rural areas. Jinan-gun in Jeonbuk, which has no private medical institutions above the hospital level within the jurisdiction, was finally selected as the mobile checkup type. The other 17 cities and counties will proceed with the existing 'hospital checkup type.'

The special health checkup for female farmers is a project that allows female farmers to receive special health checkups related to agricultural work diseases, considering that female farmers have higher prevalence rates and medical costs compared to non-farmers or male farmers. It supports 90% of the examination costs and covers 10 items in five areas: musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, fracture and injury risk, lung capacity, and pesticide poisoning.

Female farmers selected as special checkup subjects can receive examinations at special health checkup hospitals designated by the Wonjin Occupational Disease Management Foundation (hospital checkup type) or on the checkup bus (mobile checkup type). Those born in odd-numbered years who are also eligible for general health checkups this year can undergo both the general health checkup and the special health checkup for female farmers together, while those born in even-numbered years only need to receive the special health checkup.

Omiran, head of the Rural Women Policy Team at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said, "As the special health checkup for female farmers is a pilot project in its second year after long preparation, we will implement it thoroughly to prevent and manage agricultural work diseases among female farmers. We urge female farmers aged 51 to 70 living in the relevant cities and counties to apply for the checkup to detect diseases early and take care of their health."