Published 18:58 IST, August 26th 2020
South Korean doctors go on strike amid COVID-19 despite orders to return to work
South Korean medical workers staged a walkout in order to protest the government’s proposed change to the health care education system despite orders.
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Despite an order to return back to work, tens of thousands of medical workers in South Korea staged a walkout in order to protest the government’s proposed change to the health care education system. According to reports, major clinics across the country experienced disruptions in their operations amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Steep fines and penalties threatened
In order to get doctors back into the clinics and avoid the three-day collective strike planned by then, authorities have stated that strict actions such as revoking of medical licenses and steep fines will be imposed on those disobeying orders.
As per reports, the proposed reform by the government is to increase the number of admissions in medical programmes by over 400 new students a year, in addition, aspects of traditional medicine will also be added into the curriculum. These reforms are problematic and have caused doctors to go on strike as the increase in a number of admissions lowers the bar for acceptance and traditional medicine is largely frowned upon by the medical community.
The South Korean Government and the country’s medical sector already reached an agreement wherein the reforms will be delayed until the COVI-19 pandemic is not resolved but the deal was rejected by the Korean Intern and Resident Association which represents trainee doctors. South Korea has recently seen a sharp uptick in new coronavirus cases, especially around Seoul. South Korea has currently reported 18,265 positive virus cases and has a death toll of 312.
The COVID-19 pandemic which saw its first outbreak in a wet market in Wuhan, China last year has now spread all across the world. The virus, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation, has infected over 23 million people worldwide with the global death toll reaching over 800,000.
As per the John Hopkins coronavirus resource centre, the United States has reported a total of at least 5.7 million positive virus cases and has a death toll of 178,535. The US currently has the highest number of reported cases in the world, making it the epicentre of the deadly virus.
(Input/Image Credit ANI)
18:59 IST, August 26th 2020