Ministry of Education

Directors of National University Hospitals Find Ways to Secure Beds for COVID-19 Patients

□ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hae had a meeting with the Minister of Health and Welfare Kwon Deok-cheol and directors of 10 national university hospitals at Korea Student Aid Foundation in Seoul on Thursday, December 23, to discuss ways to secure additional beds for severe COVID-19 patients.

□ The hospital directors agreed to focus on securing necessary facilities, equipment and personnel first by utilizing their budget in addition to the government subsidy. Deputy PM Yoo and the Minister Kwon promised to provide the hospitals with supports including the additional budget and the effort to boost staffing so that everything could go smoothly without a hitch.

□ Deputy PM Yoo said, “I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to national university hospital staff members, who are trying their best to secure additional beds for severe COVID-19 patients in a swift manner in this difficult situation.”

ㅇ She further said, “Now that the directors of the national university hospitals made a plan for securing patient beds and personnel resources, it is crucial that we put it into practice.”

ㅇ She added, “To alleviate the burden of COVID-19 on citizens, the national university hospitals and the government will work together and establish a systematic medical system. I believe that all these efforts will bear fruit in the end and get us through this crisis.”