"Prepare Measures to Prevent Recurrence of Doctors' Collective Action"... Patient Group Files Complaint to Human Rights Commission

Patient groups demanded measures to prevent recurrence along with the return of residents, saying "delaying treatment is a death sentence," as the government set the 29th as the deadline for residents to return to the field.

The Korea Patient Organization Alliance, consisting of nine patient groups including the Korea Leukemia Patient Association, held a press conference in front of the National Human Rights Commission in Jung-gu, Seoul, and stated, "Residents should now stop collective actions such as resignation and return to emergency and critically ill patients to stop the inconvenience, damage, and anxiety they are experiencing."

Amid the ongoing strong confrontation between the government and the medical community over the increase in medical school admissions, medical staff are moving at a large hospital in Seoul on the 29th, the government's deadline for residents who left hospitals to return. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

They expressed, "It is important for critically ill patients to receive timely treatment to prolong life," adding, "Fighting the pain of illness and the anxiety of death is already overwhelming, and delaying treatment is no different from a 'death sentence.'"

They continued, "No conditions should be attached to residents returning to care for emergency and critically ill patients," appealing, "Otherwise, no claims by residents can gain the understanding and sympathy of the public and patients."

Along with this, they decided to submit a petition to the Human Rights Commission requesting the government to prepare measures to prevent recurrence in case of another collective action by residents at training hospitals.

They argued that specialists, not residents, should play the central role in patient care at training hospitals, and that the role of 'Physician Assistant (PA nurses)' should be legislated to ensure stable medical support.