South Korea to Inject $7.59 Billion into Health System Amid Doctor Walkouts

South Korea will allocate 10 trillion won ($7.59 billion) from health insurance funds over three years to increase fees for doctors treating severe illnesses, addressing a young doctors' walkout. This effort aims to reduce dependence on trainee doctors and focus on severe, emergency, or rare diseases.

South Korea plans to use 10 trillion won ($7.59 billion) from its health insurance funds over three years to boost the fees doctors receive for treating severe illnesses, the health ministry disclosed on Friday. This initiative comes in response to a walkout by young doctors that has put immense strain on the healthcare system.

The move is designed to incentivize major general hospitals to prioritize severe, emergency, and rare diseases. It also aims to lessen the reliance on trainee doctors, who should be focusing on their training. Thousands of trainee doctors, including interns and residents, started their walkout in February to protest against a government plan to increase medical student numbers by 2,000 annually, amidst projections of a doctor shortage.

Since the walkout, the government has implemented various measures to alleviate pressure on the healthcare system, such as deploying military doctors and advising the public to avoid emergency rooms for non-severe symptoms. In a Friday briefing, the health ministry announced that major general hospitals offering specialized care would see a 50% hike in fees for running intensive care units and conducting surgical procedures for severe illnesses like cancer.

(With inputs from agencies.)