Expected Number of Participants: 1000
As the medical service gap crisis extends beyond four months, patients have announced plans for the largest-ever general rally.
Patient group members are urging the medical community to withdraw the collective strike. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 21st, the Korea Patient Organization Federation (Hwandanyeon) and the Korea Breast Cancer Patient Federation (Hanyuchong) announced that they will hold a "Patient General Rally to Demand the Withdrawal of the Doctors' Collective Strike and the Enactment of Laws to Prevent Recurrence" on the morning of the 4th of next month in front of Bosingak in Jongno-gu, Seoul, together with other patient organizations. The expected number of participants reported by the organizers is 1,000.
This is the first time patient organizations are holding a large-scale rally during the current medical service gap crisis. An Gijong, the representative of Hwandanyeon, said, "Doctors are holding their own general rally, and although we cannot gather 10,000 people, there was a consensus to create a place for a general rally. It is really hot, but we decided to raise our voices directly to the public at least once."
Representative An emphasized, "We have met with the Prime Minister, officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and held meetings with members of the National Assembly, but the situation has not changed. Neither the medical community, the government, nor the National Assembly listens to the patients' voices, so now we have decided to appeal directly to the public."
Hwandanyeon and Hanyuchong are urging for a swift resolution to the medical service gap crisis, legalization of medical support personnel (PA nurses), and the enactment and revision of laws to ensure that essential medical services directly related to life, such as emergency rooms, intensive care units, and delivery rooms, continue to operate normally even during collective actions by medical professionals.
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