Mobile Healthcare Services Establish a New Model for Rural Welfare in Mungyeong

Over 2,000 Residents Receive Care
A New Horizon for Rural Welfare

The "Rural Mobile Clinic Bus" initiative, launched by Mungyeong City in North Gyeongsang Province to support medically underserved populations, concluded its operations for the year after its final session at Seomungyeong Nonghyup on August 22.

Shin Hyunguk, mayor of Mungyeong (sixth from the right), is taking a commemorative photo with doctors and officials after completing the rural mobile clinic bus service.

This year's program provided medical services to over 2,000 residents, emerging as a model case for rural welfare policy.

The mobile clinic bus is a customized healthcare support program in which professional medical staff visit the sites directly to serve elderly and vulnerable rural residents who have limited mobility or poor access to medical care.

By offering integrated Western and Korean medicine consultations, as well as practical services such as dental and ophthalmological checkups, the program significantly increased resident satisfaction. In particular, Korean medicine treatments received a strong response from residents suffering from musculoskeletal disorders due to long-term labor.

After a pilot run last year, Mungyeong City expanded the program this year to six agricultural and livestock cooperatives: Jeomchon, Mungyeong, Dongmungyeong, Yeongsun, Mungyeong Livestock, and Seomungyeong. This is the largest scale in North Gyeongsang Province, and within a short period, over 2,000 residents benefited, demonstrating both the necessity and effectiveness of "mobile healthcare services."

On-site support was also notable. The agricultural and livestock cooperatives operated dedicated transport vehicles for patient convenience in the summer heat and provided air conditioning and cold water, showing meticulous care. This collaboration helped strengthen the bonds within the local community.

Mayor Shin Hyunguk of Mungyeong stated, "The Rural Mobile Clinic Bus means more than just healthcare support. It is a policy that improves residents' quality of life and strengthens the community's health safety net," adding, "We will continue to do our best to eliminate gaps in medical care and enhance welfare."