"Cannot Leave Sick Children Behind," Medical Association President Criticized at Children's Hospital

"Incentives Given Even for Hospitalizing Healthy Patients"

When children's hospitals nationwide announced that they would not join the Korean Medical Association's (KMA) collective strike and would continue normal medical services, Lim Hyun-taek, president of the KMA, publicly criticized them, saying, "They even give incentives for admitting perfectly healthy children."

[Photo by Im Hyuntaek, captured from the Korean Medical Association SNS]

On the 13th, President Lim shared an article containing an interview with Choi Yong-jae, president of the Korean Association of Children's Hospitals, on his social media, writing, "They are the ones who created a disease called 'pneumonia-like symptoms,' which does not exist anywhere else in the world. They even give incentives for admitting perfectly healthy children."

Earlier, President Choi stated, "I cannot realistically leave the ward full of sick children," expressing his intention not to participate in the KMA's general strike scheduled for the 18th.

The Korean Association of Children's Hospitals includes over 120 children's hospitals nationwide. Pediatric and adolescent patients who are difficult to treat at local clinics or require follow-up care after acute treatment at tertiary hospitals mainly visit children's hospitals. Recently, due to a shortage of pediatricians at tertiary hospitals and a mass resignation of residents, the number of severe patients visiting children's hospitals has reportedly increased significantly.

Choi Yong-jae, President of the Pediatric Hospital Association [Photo by Yonhap News]

In an interview with Yonhap News on the same day, President Choi said, "We sympathize with the KMA's strike," but added, "Each institution will decide for itself, but in the case of children's hospitals, it is difficult to leave the children behind immediately." He further explained, "The situation in children's hospitals is very poor, and there are quite a few severe patients who are at risk even if not seen for just one day."

Regarding President Lim's harsh criticism of the children's hospitals' decision, President Choi reiterated, "We sympathize with the KMA's struggle," adding, "It's just that each situation is different."

Earlier, the Association of Obstetric Hospitals and Clinics, which includes about 200 delivery hospitals and clinics nationwide, also announced that they would maintain medical services on the 18th, and the Korean Society of Anesthesiology decided that essential personnel for necessary surgeries would remain in hospitals to support medical care.

Meanwhile, as the KMA has announced a collective strike and a nationwide doctors' rally on the 18th, anxiety among patients is growing as professors from medical schools nationwide, including the 'Big 5' hospitals?Seoul National University Hospital, Severance Hospital, Asan Medical Center, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, and Samsung Medical Center?have expressed their intention to join the strike.