Families of critically ill patients criticize government and doctors for ongoing medical crisis

Federation calls for end to medical staff exodus An official of the Korean Federation of Serious Illnesses holds a press conference at the main gate of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 11, calling for the resignation of doctors and the end of medical professors leaving the medical field. Jung Hyo-jin

"I was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer at a large hospital, but I was rejected for new chemotherapy. When I heard that the patient's condition was critical, my head was blank, but when I heard that I couldn't treat him, I had no choice but to leave the doctor's office, feeling like I was kicked out to the street. I felt that the government and the medical community were playing a power struggle, wasting precious chances and time for the treatment of seriously ill patients. I feel so much pain in my hopelessness and absurdity,” said a family member of a stage 4 esophageal cancer patient.

The Korea Federation of Severe Diseases, a group of patients with six serious diseases, including esophageal cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, and severe atopic dermatitis, held a press conference on March 11 in front of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to call for trainee doctors to withdrawal their resignation and for medical professors to stop leaving hospitals. The federation gave examples where surgeries were postponed or chemotherapy and hospitalization were canceled due to collective action by trainee doctors.

Critically ill patients, who should be protected the most, are being used as 'bargaining chips' in the conflict between the two sides," the federation said, adding, "Doctors should immediately stop leaving their workplaces.” They demanded a dialog between President Yoon Suk-yeol and representatives of critically ill patients and disclosure of the government’s list of trainee doctors who left their job.

Mr. B (66), a patient who was diagnosed with cancer at a hospital in Seoul in 2022, received a surgical diagnosis after his tumor size was reduced by half after one year and four months of chemotherapy. He was scheduled to undergo surgery on March 18, but the surgery was postponed due to the collective action of doctors, and the radiation treatment scheduled before the surgery was also canceled. As a result, he was unable to undergo surgery due to elevated tumor markers. Ms. C (71), a cancer patient who was scheduled to receive her first chemotherapy treatment at a hospital in Seoul on February 23, also started chemotherapy nearly 10 days later than the original schedule due to the doctors’ collective action. The cancer metastasized to the inside of her pancreas.

The federation criticized the medical community, saying, "The collective refusal of medical practice by doctors and professors at training hospitals is nothing more than a criminal act without any justification." It also said, "The government has not shown any will to protect the lives and safety of the people by suppressing the collective action early. Rather, it arbitrarily assumed that the situation would be prolonged and announced a plan to implement a special law on the handling of medical accidents that hinders patient safety. We wonder if the government is using the situation as an opportunity to collude with the medical community to try policies that are met with public resistance."

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.