Medical Care for Children at Risk in South Korea Amid Shortage of Pediatricians, Clinic Closures

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South Korea has seen a decline in hospital services and clinics offering medical care for children and infants amid a shortage of pediatricians and a declining birth rate.

Over 550 pediatric clinics have closed in the past five years, exceeding the 519 clinics launched during that same period, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service revealed in May.

The decline in pediatric clinics comes as South Korea’s fertility rate—the average number of children born to a woman in her reproductive years—plunged to a new record low last year, dropping from 0.81 in 2021 to 0.78 last year.

The country has the lowest fertility rate when compared to other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member nations. The average fertility rate across all OECD nations is 1.59 as of 2020.

Medical Students Shun Pediatric Field

The dip in birth rates has led to reduced income for pediatricians, and this situation has been further aggravated by the failure of insurance services to adjust their pricing.

Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service shows pediatricians are South Korea’s lowest-paid doctors, making 57 percent less than the average doctor’s salary.

Consequently, medical students have been discouraged from pursuing careers in the pediatric field, causing a severe shortage in the number of pediatricians in the country.

“Pediatricians are now less attractive options for medical students, compared to doctors working in other medical fields, like eye doctors or orthopedic doctors,” a doctor named Han told The Korea Herald.

Hospitals were only able to secure the services of 16.3 percent of the pediatricians they sought in the first half of this year, government data showed. Commenting on this, the Health Ministry said that steps were being taken to resolve these “limitations.”

“We understand that there are opinions from doctors saying it is not enough to cope with difficulties in the field. The government plans to steadily implement and continue to supplement the announced measures,” the ministry said.

Risks to Children’s Health

The shortage of pediatricians has pushed some hospitals to reduce night-time treatment and close children’s emergency rooms. For instance, South Korea’s oldest children’s hospital, Sowha Hospital, recently suspended weekend treatment due to a lack of staff.

Concerns about children’s health have also arisen as parents struggle to get their children treated on time. Local media reported in May that a pediatrician shortage caused patients to wait longer than usual.

A 35-year-old mother, who was only identified as Yoo by The Korea Herald, said that her child had to wait for hours before receiving treatment at a hospital in Gyeonggi province due to a long line of patients.

“I was able to let my child see a doctor after 6 p.m.,” she said, adding that were over 50 people who had made reservations ahead of her.

The situation further exacerbates reservations among couples when it comes to having children, which could be a setback to the government’s efforts to boost the birth rate.

“I’m worried,” Kim Eun-ji, a 34-year-old mother said. “If the number of children’s hospitals decreases and the number of doctors falls, it’s going to be difficult to get children treated.”

Reuters contributed to this report.