This Monday, medical professors joined the strike against health reform in South Korea

Madrid, March 24 (Europa Press) –

This Monday, teaching staff at South Korea’s medical schools have been called to join the strike that intern doctors have been leading for more than a month in protest against health reforms promoted by the South Korean government.

Teachers will also gradually reduce their working hours in hospitals. In the first measure of pressure, they will reduce their weekly work hours to 52, which will affect the schedules of surgical operations and other medical treatments, as explained by the National Council of Professors of Medical Schools and by South Korean news agency Yonhap. have been reported. ,

Additionally, starting April 1, they will “reduce” medical services provided to outpatients to focus on care for the most seriously ill and urgent cases.

A spokesperson for the organization said, “Our decision to resign and reduce outpatient care is to ensure safe treatment for inpatients and serious cases.” “Even after resigning, we will continue our work of treating patients until our resignation is accepted,” he said.

Health Minister Cho Kyu-hong has expressed his concern about these announcements and asked teachers to “stay with the patients”. “The government will strengthen the emergency medical response system to minimize the impact of the strike,” he said after holding a meeting to discuss the issue this Sunday.

More than 90 percent of the country’s 13,000 resident doctors have resigned from their posts in protest against the government’s plan to increase the number of medical training places for the next academic year from the current 3,000 to 5,000.

Doctors charge that the proposal represents an unsustainable burden, as universities that do not have the capacity to absorb the increases will, in their opinion, have incentives to cover the lowest-paying specialties, such as paediatrics, or places There is no solution to the problem. In more remote destinations. Additionally, they argue that officials should focus on protecting them from malpractice lawsuits.

Authorities have issued return-to-work orders citing a serious threat to public health. Those who do not comply could face a fine of up to 30 million won (about 20,800 euros), the revocation of their medical license, and a fine of up to one year and up to three years in prison. Besides this, they have mobilized 413 military doctors and may also call retired doctors.