South Korea doctors warn COVID surge, strike could cripple emergency rooms
The Korean Medical Association (KMA) has issued a stark warning about the potential collapse of hospital emergency rooms (ERs) next month, as COVID-19 cases are expected to peak and a strike by trainee doctors continues. The association highlighted that the situation will be compounded by the Chuseok holiday, during which many doctors will be taking time off.
Thousands of trainee doctors, including interns and residents, have been on strike since February to protest a government plan to increase the number of medical students by 2,000 annually. The plan aims to address a projected severe shortage of doctors. This strike has already led to significant disruptions, with hospitals forced to turn away emergency patients and existing doctors facing increased workloads.
The KMA’s spokesman, Chae Dong-young, expressed concern that the combination of a rising wave of COVID-19 cases and the upcoming Chuseok holiday could lead to a “serial shutdown” of ERs. “As the wave of COVID-19 cases peaks in September, there will be a surge of patients. With many doctors taking time off for Chuseok, we fear that emergency rooms will struggle to cope,” Chae said.
In response, the Health Ministry has contested the KMA’s assessment, asserting that while some ERs may require additional support from military or community doctors, there are no plans for widespread ER closures. The Ministry reported that more than 95% of patients currently visiting ERs have conditions that could be treated at clinics.
To address the ongoing challenges, the government has proposed measures including offering incentives for doctors to work in essential disciplines and in regions outside major cities like Seoul. Additionally, there are plans to increase the cost of non-acute ER services to help reduce the burden on emergency rooms.
As the situation develops, both the government and the KMA remain focused on managing the crisis and ensuring that emergency medical services can continue to operate effectively during this critical period.
