"Need for a Broad Social Medical Reform Council"
"Military Medical Officers Will Also Be Short in the Future... Problems Must Be Solved Quickly"
Ahn Cheol-soo, the Standing Co-Chairman of the People Power Party's election campaign committee, emphasized that regarding the government's plan to increase medical school quotas by 2,000 students and the prolonged strong conflict between the government and the medical community, "Both sides need to take a step back for the people and engage in dialogue," stressing that "the people are the greatest victims."
On the 29th, Ahn appeared on YTN Radio's 'News King with Park Ji-hoon' and said, "We need to calculate the truly necessary number of doctors and increase the quota gradually, systematically, and meticulously." He expressed concern, saying, "Currently, only older specialists are on duty as residents are leaving, making it difficult to endure even a month. If medical students take a leave of absence to serve in the military, there will be no interns or military doctors in hospitals next year." He added, "When these students return after military service, we will have to educate 4,000 students instead of 2,000. I have also been a medical school professor, and it takes about 10 years to properly teach students."
Ahn Cheol-soo, Standing Co-Chairman of the People Power Party's Joint Election Committee. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Ahn identified three major issues in the medical community: ▲ shortage of essential medical doctors ▲ shortage of doctors and scientists in the pharmaceutical and vaccine sectors ▲ poor medical infrastructure in rural areas. He proposed, "To fix these problems, policies must change and there must be a willingness to invest. A comprehensive social medical reform council involving doctors, government, civic groups, and even foreign organizations like the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) should calculate the necessary number of doctors and accept all the proposed measures."
He also foresaw that the shortage of military doctors would become more serious. Residents opposing the increase in medical school quotas have expressed their intention to serve as active-duty soldiers in the army for 18 months instead of serving as military doctors for the mandatory 38 months. Ahn pointed out, "In the military, accidents can cause severe injuries, including gunshot wounds. It becomes dangerous if you go just a little further." He added, "After meeting with executives of the Seoul National University (Medical School) Emergency Committee, I found they are willing to engage in dialogue. I hope the government will not insist on increasing the quota by 2,000 and will come to the negotiation table quickly to resolve the issue."
He continued, "There has never been a government in the history of Korean politics that could defeat the people," and said, "I believe a reasonable solution can be derived and dialogue can begin." Ahn stressed, "This issue must be resolved immediately, even today. Otherwise, there could be citizens who suffer." He raised his voice, saying, "It is the sacred responsibility of both the government and the medical community to resolve this as soon as possible, not to set a date and negotiate."
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