The government will supply additionally produced syringes each week through a separately established online marketplace to address supply instability.
In addition, amid rising exchange rates increasing the burden on companies, the government will raise the average reimbursement price under national health insurance for separately priced medical materials.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it held the fourth meeting of health and medical organizations responding to the Middle East conflict on the morning of the 21st in Jung District, Seoul, with related ministries and organizations.
The meeting, chaired by Health and Welfare Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong, was attended by 12 medical organizations — including the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association and the Korea Pharmaceutical Distribution Association — as well as relevant ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Participants discussed monitoring results for medical products, key measures taken last week and major response plans.
According to the ministry, production volumes of major medical products such as syringes, needles, medication pouches and syrup bottles are currently similar to or not significantly lower than last year. In particular, syringe production is on an upward trend compared to the previous year.
However, as supply instability persists, Korea Vaccine — which signed an agreement with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 18th to stabilize online supply chains — plans to produce an additional 500,000 syringes per week for seven weeks through extended work hours.
The additional syringes will be supplied first to dialysis clinics, pediatric clinics and maternity care institutions through the Korean Medical Association’s online marketplace “Syringe Hotline,” which was launched last week.
Separately, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to distribute part of the additional production to online malls and medical institutions.
The ministry also said that production of medication pouches and syrup bottles in the first quarter of this year is not below last year’s monthly average, and it will continue to prioritize the supply of raw materials.
In addition, the ministry conducted an “emergency field survey on supply instability of medical products” through local health centers last week.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency are also reviewing a temporary extension of disposal cycles for general medical waste to strengthen management and prevent infection risks.
Measures to ease corporate cost burdens will also be implemented. Considering increased costs due to recent exchange rate rises, the ministry plans to raise the average national health insurance reimbursement rate for about 27,000 separately priced medical materials by 2%.
To ensure the effectiveness of the recently implemented ban on hoarding syringes and needles, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has deployed special inspection teams starting this week.
Joint inspection teams of more than 70 personnel across 35 units will conduct comprehensive inspections, with strict measures to be taken against any violations identified.
Minister Jeong said, “The government will do its utmost to ensure that necessary medical services are provided smoothly to the public through close monitoring and prompt response.”