South Korea declares 'severe' health alert amid doctors' strike

South Korea on Friday (Feb 23) elevated its public health alert to the highest level as authorities declared a health services crisis, attributing it to the resignation of thousands of doctors in protest against proposed medical reforms.

The doctors are protesting against the government’s proposed reforms to boost the country’s healthcare sector. The doctors have argued that Seoul needs to address existing issues before increasing the number of physicians.

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According to Seoul's Second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo, over 8,890 junior doctors, constituting 78.5 per cent of the trainee workforce, have resigned in opposition to the government's plans to significantly boost medical school admissions.

WATCH |Why are South Korean trainee doctors on strike?

Park Min-soo stated in a press briefing that 7,863 of the resigned doctors have not reported for duty, though their resignation letters have not been officially accepted or processed. The government has issued orders for many of them to return to their hospitals.

In South Korea, doctors are legally prohibited from striking, being deemed essential workers. The government contends that the mass resignation is illegal, asserting, "Illegal collective actions that threaten public health cannot be justified for any reason."

The collective action has led to the cancellation or postponement of surgeries for cancer patients and C-sections for pregnant women, prompting urgent appeals from patients with severe illnesses for the doctors to resume work.

Also Read |South Korean trainee doctors stop work to protest medical reforms

Park informed reporters that due to concerns about the damage to citizens' health caused by the collective actions of doctors, the health care disaster alert level has been upgraded from 'caution' to 'severe.' This is the first time the alert has been raised to the ‘severe’ level due to a health care service crisis.

It is worth mentioning that South Korea's general hospitals heavily rely on trainees for emergency operations and surgeries.

While addressing the situation, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assured that the government would ensure all public hospitals operate at ‘maximum’ capacity, extending weekday hours and enhancing service availability on weekends and holidays.

Also Read |South Korea orders striking doctors back to work as emergency units turn away patients

South Korea, with one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed countries, is aiming to admit an additional 2,000 students to medical schools annually from the next year.

Doctors argue against the government's plan, expressing concerns about its impact on service quality, while supporters of the reform claim doctors fear potential salary and status reductions.

Junior doctors argue that the new medical education reforms exacerbate the challenges they already face in a profession with demanding working conditions. Polls indicate that up to 75 per cent of the South Korean public supports the increase in medical school admissions, with those in remote areas struggling to access quality healthcare.

(With inputs from agencies)