The new president of the major doctors’ association vowed Wednesday to resolve the ongoing standoff with the government over the medical school quota hike and the prolonged walkout by junior doctors to alleviate concerns among patients and the people.
Lim Hyun-taek made the pledge as he began his three-year term as the head of the Korean Medical Association (KMA).
His inauguration came as more than 90 percent of South Korea’s 13,000 trainee doctors have walked off the job since Feb. 20 in protest of the government’s push to increase the number of medical students by 2,000 starting next year from the current 3,058.
In a Facebook post, Lim said he “will make all-out efforts to untie a knot” to alleviate concerns of trainee doctors, medical students, medical professors, school parents, patients and the people.
Lim will hold an inaugural ceremony and preside over a first standing committee meeting to discuss responses, according to KMA officials.
The new chief is widely expected to take a tough stance again
st the government.
He has insisted that the government needs to rather slash seats at medical schools by up to 1,000 given the country’s low birthrate. Upon being elected in March, he demanded President Yoon Suk Yeol’s apology and the dismissal of the health minister as preconditions for dialogue with the government.
During a general meeting with KMA delegates on Sunday, he vowed to “ward off any wrongful policies to the death” and “stand firm and resolute just as a combatant fighting in the forefront.”
Doctors have rejected the government’s call for talks under a newly established special commission on medical reform that includes various stakeholders, and rather called for a one-on-one dialogue platform with the government.
The prolonged walkout has disrupted the country’s medical service as hospitals have been forced to significantly reduce surgeries and treatments for patients.
The government stresses the need to boost the medical school quota to address problems stemming from the shortage of doctors
, but doctors say simply having more doctors will never help resolve the current situation.
The government, meanwhile, announced it plans to launch a pilot program to address the excessive work hours of junior doctors, in line with efforts to improve their working conditions and encourage them to return to work.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said the government plans to receive applications from critical departments, including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics, from 218 training hospitals through May 17, to launch the program.
The hospitals participating in the program will aim to reduce the continuous work hours of trainee doctors from the current 36 hours to approximately 24 to 30 hours, with the government offering support for the adjustments.
Source: Yonhap News Agency