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SEOUL: South Korean doctors have agreed to end a two-week strike that has hampered efforts to curb a new wave of coronavirus infections, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on Friday (September 4), after late-night talks about the government’s medical reform plans. .
About 16,000 interns and residents have been on strike since August 21. Physicians-in-training are the backbone of health services in emergency rooms and intensive care units, and volunteer at temporary testing stations.
LEE: South Korean doctors attack health plans as new cases of COVID-19 increase
Doctors oppose the reform proposals, which include increasing the number of doctors, building public medical schools, allowing state insurance to cover more oriental medicine and expanding telemedicine.
The government says the initiatives could help better cope with health crises like the coronavirus, but doctors argued it would only deepen the concentration of doctors in cities without improving medical infrastructure and poor working conditions in rural provinces.
Chung said that the government, the ruling party and the Korean Medical Association representing the industry have reached a “dramatic compromise” after lengthy negotiations.
“I hope they sign an agreement today and that the doctors will return to their places soon,” Chung told a meeting.
A spokesperson for the Korean Medical Association said an event to sign an agreement was expected, but nothing was final until it actually took place.
On Friday, South Korea reported 198 new cases, bringing the total to 20,842 with 331 deaths.
The Health Ministry has agreed to halt its push to increase the number of medical students and open new schools and will review problems with the industry after the coronavirus outbreak has stabilized, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing anonymous officials from the ruling party.
The ministry issued a return-to-work order for the doctors and filed a police complaint against several leaders, saying the strike caused disruptions at clinics and made the bed shortage worse, even as it battles a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. .
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