Treated After Cardiac Arrest,
But Still Unconscious
A 10-year-old child who collapsed at a pediatric clinic in Busan was finally transported to a hospital after being refused admission by 12 hospitals.
According to Yonhap News on December 16, at around 10 a.m. the previous day, a 10-year-old girl showed signs of decreased consciousness while receiving intravenous fluids for cold symptoms at a pediatric clinic in Saha District, Busan.
After receiving a report from the doctor, the fire authorities were dispatched and began searching for a hospital that could treat the child. They contacted 12 hospitals, but most responded that they could not accept her.
While transporting the patient to a secondary hospital that agreed to admit her, the girl suddenly went into cardiac arrest.
Fortunately, after receiving emergency treatment at the hospital, her pulse and blood pressure returned.
However, the child did not regain consciousness and was eventually transferred to a tertiary hospital. She is currently undergoing treatment.
It took about one hour and 20 minutes from the moment the fire authorities began searching for a hospital until the child arrived at the tertiary hospital.
Recently in Busan, there have been a series of cases where patients have died after failing to find an emergency room. In October, a high school student showing seizure symptoms died after searching for an emergency room for nearly an hour.
According to data obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Yang Bunam, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, from the 119 rescue team and the Busan Fire Headquarters, the rescue team and the emergency situation management center in that case inquired about hospital admission 14 times, but were refused for reasons such as "unable to provide pediatric care."
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