The health ministry on Wednesday unveiled a set of measures to deal with emergency care before and after the Chuseok holiday next month, as doctors have warned of possible disruption of emergency rooms due to a protracted walkout by junior doctors.

Under the measures, health authorities will keep 4,000 hospitals and clinics operational from Sept. 11 to 25, along with 29 emergency rooms for critically ill patients. Military and public hospitals will also operate in emergency mode.

Faced with a resurgence of COVID-19 patients, some doctors have said emergency rooms could be crippled during the holiday at a time when thousands of trainee doctors have left their posts in protest of the government’s medical reform.

The Chuseok fall harvest holiday runs from Sept. 14 through Sept. 18 this year.

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong, meanwhile, urged nurses and other non-doctor medical workers to refrain from participating in the planned strike set to begin on Thursday, which came in response to the lingering medical v
acuum.

“We would face greater challenges in the future if we abandon medical reform due to current difficulties,” Cho said, emphasizing that the government will continue to push ahead with the reform plan.

The Korean Health and Medical Workers’ Union, which represents some 30,000 nurses and medical workers, has vowed to proceed with the walkout, demanding improvements in working conditions amid the serious strain caused by thousands of trainee doctors walking off their jobs.

“The central and regional governments will establish a real-time monitoring system and take necessary measures if medical institutions participating in the strike show signs of disruption in maintaining essential operations,” Cho added.

Meanwhile, labor unions of medical workers at 11 out of the 63 hospitals that had planned to strike reached a wage agreement on Wednesday, raising hopes of avoiding an all-out walkout.

Source: Yonhap News Agency