A South Korean high school student died in an ambulance after eight hospitals refused to treat him over the space of an hour, in a case that has reignited concerns over a growing shortage of doctors and specialists in the country.
Advertisement
The 18-year-old was found convulsing near a high school by a teacher at about 6.20am on October 20, The Chosun Daily reported, quoting the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters on Tuesday. The teacher called for an ambulance, which arrived about 15 minutes later.
The boy “was in a delirious state, showing symptoms such as convulsions and difficulty breathing”, an official from the fire department said, as quoted by the newspaper. He was, however, able to respond to his name.
As there were no visible injuries, the paramedics initially did not know the cause of his symptoms. They loaded the boy onto the ambulance, then searched for a hospital to transfer him to.
“We called five large hospitals in Busan and explained his symptoms, but all refused to accept him,” the official said.
04:17
Smaller cities in South Korea experiencing doctor shortages with strike on going
Smaller cities in South Korea experiencing doctor shortages with strike on going
“He needs paediatric neurology treatment, but we cannot accept him due to a lack of paediatric neurology specialists. Follow-up treatment is difficult,” the hospitals reportedly said.