Chairman of the largest house Korean Medical Association. News 1
The Korean Medical Association declared a national medical crisis emergency on the 23rd. He warned that the collapse of the medical system will become a reality as the number of new coronavirus infections (Corona 19) is pouring into around 1,000 every day. It was analyzed that the mortality rate increased by 6% this year as medical resources were concentrated in the treatment of corona19 patients. According to the number of people, it is 20,000. However, due to the lack of hospital beds, the reality is that Corona 19 patients are dying without being treated in time.
Through the declaration, “Corona 19 vaccine has been developed and vaccination has begun in some countries, but we are entering a’dark tunnel’ that we have never entered.” “After the first corona19 patient in Korea occurred on January 20, The third pandemic, which started last month, has a higher wave height than ever. Currently, around 1,000 confirmed cases a day continue to occur,” he explained.
Higher-ranking general hospitals offer critically ill patients
Currently, domestic general hospitals are offering 1% of licensed beds for the treatment of severely ill patients. In addition, the general hospital is responding by being designated as a dedicated hospital after all existing inpatients have been transferred or discharged. A disaster medical support team was formed under the Medical Association. About 1,100 doctors across the country are dispatched to intensive care, screening clinics, and life treatment centers to fight Corona 19.
However, the medical consultation argues that the current situation is insufficient for the medical community to handle. The medical association said, “In addition to the accumulated fatigue of medical staff and the difficulty of securing beds, we are facing serious patient treatment and the collapse of the emergency medical system.”
On the afternoon of the 23rd, facilities for testing are prepared at Korea University’s Anam International House, which will be temporarily operated as a life treatment center for the treatment of confirmed patients with new coronavirus infection (Corona 19). News 1
Serious incidental damage
The reason why the KMA warned of collapse was due to collateral damage. As the government is too focused on the treatment of Corona 19, the lives of patients suffering from other diseases are being threatened.
“This is shown by actual statistics. As of today, the number of direct deaths from Corona 19 this year is 739,” said the medical association. “However, as of December, the total mortality rate has risen by about 6%.
In addition, “Converting the excess mortality rate to 6% per year, it is about 20,000 people. In addition to the direct death of Corona 19, it tells that indirect death due to not receiving adequate treatment due to Corona 19 is a level that cannot be ignored. A strategy is needed to reduce the overall damage as well as Corona 19.” The Medical Association announced that it will standardize the data on excess deaths by age, gender and region, analyze it more precisely, and disclose it later.
The composition of the National Emergency Medical Committee
The medical association requested the government to form a’National Emergency Medical Committee’ to overcome the Corona 19 national medical crisis and establish comprehensive measures as soon as possible. ▶ Securing the medical system for critically ill patients with Corona 19 and general diseases ▶ Measures to prevent the collapse of the essential emergency medical system ▶ Medical personnel was selected as the top priority. The medical association suggested, “For this, a private-public joint system that includes medical experts, not scholars who unconditionally agrees with the government position, should be launched.”
The medical association did not forget to appeal to the people. “I ask you to never let go of tension as you do now.”
Reporter Minwook Kim [email protected]