“When will the doctor come? I need to take my blood pressure medication,” said Jeong Sang Ho (78), whom I met at the health center in Iseo-myeon, Hwasun-gun, Jeonnam, on the afternoon of the 12th. Jeong visits the health center once every three months to get high blood pressure medication.
However, a perplexed Jeong came to the health center, unaware that the public health doctor had been dispatched to replace the medical residents who had left the medical field.
Jeong said, “I heard for the first time that they had taken a doctor to a big hospital. There are no hospitals or pharmacies in this neighborhood, so the health center is the only lifeline,” and asked when he could receive treatment before turning away.
Locals in rural areas are struggling because nearby medical facilities are scarce. Local public health doctors have been dispatched to fill the vacancies left by medical residents who have left their posts in protest against the increase in medical school admissions.
In this area, where there are no hospitals, clinics, or pharmacies, the nearest clinic is a 15-20 minute drive away. Most residents are elderly rural people who cannot walk to the hospital, and they have to ask neighbors with cars for a ride or wait for a long time for the village bus.
The health center in Iseo-myeon has two public health doctors, one for Western medicine and another for Oriental medicine. They handle tasks such as internal medicine treatment for colds and preliminary examinations for chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
However, since the 11th, the Western public health doctor has been dispatched to Hwasun Jeonnam University Hospital until April 5th, making it impossible to accept Western medicine patients.
To fill the medical gap, the Hwasun County Health Center had a public health doctor from the health center in Dongbok-myeon, which is 8.1 miles away, take care of patients by rotating work on Thursdays and Fridays.
Local people who knew about the absence of public health doctors still came to the clinic in the hope of receiving treatment, while those who heard the news late expressed their anxiety.
Song Gap Soon (85), who caught a cold, asked repeatedly, “Will the doctor still not be here tomorrow?” but was advised to visit on Thursday. She returned home, dragging her uncomfortable leg.
Park Deok Soon (83), who came to the health center to get eye drops after eye surgery, also expressed her anxiety.
Park said, “I knew there was no doctor, but I came just in case. What are the rural people supposed to do if they take away the only doctor in the rural area?”
Especially with the change of seasons, the frequent occurrence of cold patients among the elderly has heightened residents’ concerns.
The health center informed residents of the disruption in medical services through the village chiefs but had to turn away 4-5 seniors in two days.
A health center official said, “We are very worried that the dispatch period for public health doctors could be longer than a month,” and expressed hope that “even if the absence of public health doctors does not immediately lead to significant damage to residents, I wish it wouldn’t be prolonged.”
Song also said, “They say to get treatment only on Thursdays and Fridays, but elderly people don’t get sick only at certain times.” She added, “I hope it will be resolved quickly so that the elderly can take their medicine without worry.”
On the 11th, Jeonnam Province dispatched 23 specialists and public health doctors to provide support for about four weeks at Seoul Asan Hospital, Severance Hospital, and Jeonnam University Hospital, where medical gaps have been created due to the resignation of medical residents.
In Jeonnam, up to three public health doctors have been dispatched from 13 out of 22 cities and counties.
warm@news1.kr