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Phase two of a massive medical strike has begun after tens of thousands of doctors walked
off the job on Monday. The doctors are protesting against the government's
plans to reform the medical sector. For the next week-and-a-half or so, doctors
taking part in the strike will cut their work hours and limit time spent with patients.
Kwon Soa has the details. The medical strike has just begun.
After Monday's walk-out, the Korean Medical Association is progressing to the next round
of its strike, as planned.
While those taking part in Monday's strike refused to provide any medical services, starting
Tuesday through March 23rd, doctors will turn to a work-to-rule action.
This means they won't work more than 40 hours a week, which is around 10 hours fewer than
usual,...and will treat patients for no longer than 15 minutes.
A full six-day strike is then planned to begin on March 24th, which could also include the
closing of emergency rooms and intensive care centers.
If residents and interns participate in the two-week strike too, there are concerns this
will affect the public, considering they work up to 1-hundred hours a week.
Although some patients were inconvenienced by Monday's walk-out, it didn't create as
much chaos as initially feared. The government has reiterated it will react
storngly to illegal actions that put the health of the public at risk.
The health ministry estimates around three out of every ten doctors at hospitals and
local clinics took part in Monday's walk-out, while the medical association puts the figure
at nearly 50 percent. As big as that discrepancy are the stark differences
in opinion over the government's health reform plans, which prompted the KMA strike.
KMA doctors are against government plans to introduce a telemedicine system that would
allow for patients in remote areas to be diagnosed and treated via webcam, smartphone, or even
email. The medical association says this will impair
the quality of medical services. The KMA is also up in arms over the government's
move to run for-profit subsidiaries. Doctors are also worried the reforms could
eventually lead to privatization of the medical sector.
The medical association says it expects even more doctors to take part in the second round
of strikes. Kwon Soa, Arirang News.