“The birth rate is decreasing, so we are at a loss, but to prevent a gap in local medical care, there must be a hospital with an obstetrics and delivery room.”

Cheil Hospital, which has the only delivery room in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, has been in operation for 38 years. Hospital director Hong Seok-kwon (70) also serves as the director of the obstetrics and gynecology department and has welcomed over 20,000 newborns in Miryang for 38 먹튀검증years. He is still on duty three days a week.

The relationship between Director Hong and Miryang dates back to 1983. Director Hong, who visited Miryang as a public health doctor at the time, said that he settled there because he was fascinated by the beauty that only Miryang had. Afterwards, he expanded the hospital based on obstetrics and gynecology, and also equipped it with surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, plastic surgery, and neurosurgery.

Director Hong said, “We currently operate obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, and surgery. Due to the decline in population and birth rate, the obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics departments are at a loss,” and added, “We are making up for it with profits from other departments. However, if there are no obstetrics and gynecology and pediatric departments, other cities “We are operating under the belief that if we compare, the medical gap will widen and the region will shrink further,” he said.

Jeil Hospital deployed 17 medical personnel, including doctors, to the obstetrics and gynecology department alone. In 2013, the hospital was selected as a support project for vulnerable childbirth areas and is receiving support for labor costs for 10 people, but the response is that this support is not realistic.

A birthing center requires an outpatient clinic, a delivery room, a neonatal room, an operating room, and a ward. Even if the minimum number of personnel is assigned to the facility, the problem cannot be solved with 10 people.

He said, “Among the hospitals selected for the support project for vulnerable childbirth areas, the birth rate is at the highest level. To minimize the gap in medical care, sufficient financial resources must be provided. It will be difficult for hospitals in other regions selected for the support project to cover the deficit with only the labor costs of 10 people.” He said.

Director Hong also expressed his beliefs about the role of public health centers. Public health centers believed it was right to focus on health administration and prevention. They argued that in areas where there are no large hospitals, public health centers should be operated as public hospitals to reduce medical disparities.

One of Director Hong’s principles is that local hospitals grow together with local residents. Therefore, although Jeil Hospital suffered a deficit of over 3 billion won over 3 years due to COVID-19, it did not take any measures such as restructuring the medical staff or reducing wages.

Director Hong said, “It doesn’t matter what measures other hospitals have taken. If the staff becomes financially difficult, local hospitals will have more difficult times. I don’t know how much longer the hospital will be able to operate, but as it is a hospital that has grown with the region, it will continue to work with local residents.” “I will do it,” he said.