74.4% of Residents Submit Resignation Letters, 459 More Than Previous Day
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 22nd that, as of 10 PM on the 21st, 9,275 residents, accounting for 74.4% of the total residents affiliated with the top 100 training hospitals, have submitted their resignation letters, an increase of 459 from the previous day. The number of residents who have left their workplaces increased by 211, reaching 8,024, which is 64.4% of the total residents.
On the same day, Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, held a briefing at the Central Accident Response Headquarters for the doctors' collective action at the Government Complex Sejong in Sejong City, stating, "Among the 6,038 residents confirmed to have left their workplaces during on-site inspections, we have issued work commencement orders to 808 residents who had not yet received such orders, excluding the 5,230 residents who have already been ordered to resume work."
As of 6 PM on the 21st, the Doctors' Collective Action Damage Report and Support Center received a total of 57 new damage cases, including 44 surgery delays, 6 refusals of medical treatment, 5 cancellations of medical appointments, and 2 hospitalization delays.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to promptly support the public affected by delayed medical treatment and surgeries by receiving and reviewing damage cases from the public, minimizing treatment gaps for patients, and providing legal consultation services.
On the same day, Vice Minister Park emphasized that medical organizations continue to make statements threatening the lives of the public, urging, "We ask that the collective actions and statements threatening the health and lives of the public cease."
Vice Minister Park referred to the statement made by Joo Su-ho, the Media and Public Relations Committee Chair of the Korean Medical Association Emergency Committee, who said, "If the government values the lives of the public even a little, it should listen to the doctors." He stated, "We demand an explanation as to whether this means holding the lives of the public hostage, and at the same time express strong regret." Regarding Chair Joo's claim that "It seems the President said that doctors who abandoned the public should be punished with the maximum legal penalty," he rebutted, "We clearly state that the President has never made such a statement."
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