[labor news] Local governments move to establish public hospitals in the region

http://www.labortoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=153117

▲ Busan Metropolitan City Government Mayor Oh Keo-don(second from left, front row) and Na Sun-ja(third from left, front row), president of the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union shake hands after signing a policy pact during the last local election campaigns in front of the Baptist Hospital in Busan. (provided by the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union)

 

After June 13 local elections this year, successfully elected mayors and governors who made an election pledge to 'establish public hospitals' are increasingly moving to realize their pledges. The move by the local governments is also expected to make a breakthrough for 'the establishment of region-based innovative public hospitals' that the Moon Jae-in administration adopted as one of national political agendas but has been in a stalemate even without finding any policy direction all the while.

 

According to the health and medical circle on August 2, Daejeon Metropolitan City Government won the bid of 'the establishment project of public children's rehabilitation hospital' financed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on July 26, after a competition with South Gyeongsang Province.

 

Busan Metropolitan City Government is pursuing a plan to establish a branch hospital of the Busan Medical Center by taking over the Baptist Hospital in Busan which is closing down due to deteriorated financial situation.

 

South Gyeongsang Provincial Government is also known to have designed a policy to establish an innovative public hospital in the western region of South Gyeongsang Province.

 

In Ulsan Metropolitan City, regional health and medical civic and social organizations formed a promotion committee and called for the establishment of a 'national hospital' for the people in Ulsan.

 

reported by Kim Mi-young

translated by Kim Sung-jin