Phase 2 of Naepo Comprehensive Medical Facility Launched... Chungnam to Expand Essential and Critical Care Services

Feasibility Study and Master Plan Service Launched
Pediatric Specialty Hospital in Phase 1 Aims to Begin Construction in March

Chungnam Province has launched the second phase of its project to gradually enhance public healthcare capabilities in Naepo New Town. The plan aims to strengthen essential and critical care functions to reduce medical service gaps in the southwestern region.

On January 6, the provincial government held a kick-off briefing for the "Naepo Comprehensive Medical Facility Construction Project (Phase 2) Feasibility Study and Master Plan Establishment Service" in the small conference room of the provincial government office, presided over by Vice Governor Park Jeongju.

About 20 people attended the briefing, including Seong Manje, Director of the Health and Welfare Bureau, representatives from Hongseong Medical Center, the Chungnam Public Healthcare Support Group, and the agency responsible for the service.

During the briefing, the project implementation framework and schedule were shared, and key issues were discussed to verify the feasibility of the second phase and to establish an effective master plan.

According to the province, the goal of the second phase is to strengthen essential and critical care functions in the region. Major tasks include determining the appropriate size of the facility based on an analysis of healthcare demand, developing phased implementation strategies, planning financial investments, and establishing operational plans.

The province plans to objectively verify the feasibility of the project through this service, and then proceed sequentially with administrative procedures such as requesting a feasibility study from the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration and conducting investment reviews based on the master plan.

The first phase of the project, already underway, involves establishing a pediatric specialty hospital on a 6,000-square-meter site at 2161 Singyeong-ri, Hongbuk-eup, Hongseong-gun, within Naepo New Town.

The specialty hospital will be a three-story building with one basement level, a total floor area of 5,326.33 square meters, and will feature a 24-hour pediatric care center and an emergency room, with a total of 42 beds. The project is currently in the detailed design stage, and the province is moving forward with the necessary procedures with the goal of beginning construction in March.

Vice Governor Park Jeongju stated, "This kick-off briefing marks the starting point for a full-scale review of the second phase of the Naepo Comprehensive Medical Facility project," adding, "We will expand the public healthcare infrastructure to bring about real change in addressing the medical service gap in the southwestern region."