The government is transferring the oversight of national university hospitals to the Ministry of Health and Welfare to strengthen local and essential healthcare systems. This move is part of a comprehensive inter-agency strategy aimed at preventing suicides related to social isolation and caregiving burdens. The Ministry of Health and Welfare, along with the Ministry of Education and other relevant agencies, reported these plans during a Cabinet meeting.
During the Cabinet meeting held on August 11 at the Government Sejong Center, chaired by President Lee Jae-myung, amendments to the enforcement decree of the National University Hospital Installation Act and the National University Dental Hospital Installation Act were approved. As a result, starting August 20, the oversight of national university hospitals and national university dental hospitals will shift from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The amendment will change the submission of documents such as management plans and project proposals for hospital director recommendations from the Minister of Education to the Minister of Health and Welfare. Additionally, to better respond to the rapidly changing healthcare environment, the amendment will allow for the establishment of necessary subordinate organizations through bylaws, beyond those specified in the law.
The government aims to maintain the autonomy of educational institutions while enhancing the role of national university hospitals as key pillars of local, essential, and public healthcare.
Furthermore, during the Cabinet meeting, joint reports were presented on the 'Suicide Prevention Measures for Isolated and At-Risk Households' and 'Suicide Prevention Measures for Caregiving Burdens' to rescue families suffering from isolation and caregiving stress.
Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong stated, "The crisis of social isolation, exacerbated by the increase in single-person households, is spreading as much as suicides caused by economic crises. We will strengthen economic support and early detection of crisis signals to prevent the deepening of economic, relational, and psychological issues for isolated households."
To identify 'isolated, at-risk households,' the government will utilize crisis information such as self-harm or suicide attempts to screen individuals at risk and will implement targeted outreach for various types of isolation.
Minister Jeong added, "In addition to existing social security systems, we will expedite support for high-risk suicide groups by bypassing on-site verification for emergency assistance and allowing local governments to provide small emergency living expenses as a priority."
The government will also initiate immediate interventions, such as providing 24-hour emergency counseling if suicide is mentioned in reports to the welfare crisis alert application.
To prevent the so-called 'caregiving tragedy' caused by prolonged caregiving and caregiving burdens, close measures will be implemented. Starting in the second half of this year, the government will focus on identifying and investigating families at high risk of suicide among elderly and disabled caregiving households that do not utilize public caregiving services or involve elderly individuals caring for other elderly individuals.
Minister Jeong noted, "We have identified unfortunate suicide incidents occurring when caregivers, who have been caring for family members without rest for long periods, themselves suffer from serious illnesses or depression. We will focus on identifying and investigating high-risk households caring for individuals with severe disabilities, dementia, or developmental disabilities using social security data in the second half of the year."
For identified 'caregiving suicide risk' high-risk groups, emergency caregiving services will be linked for up to 72 hours (three hours a day for 24 days). Additionally, the government plans to significantly expand related services for elderly individuals requiring home care from the current 30 types to 60 types, including visiting nursing, rehabilitation, and hospital accompaniment services.
Minister Jeong added, "To support families facing economic difficulties due to caregiving costs, we will introduce caregiving benefits for nursing hospitals in the first half of next year and improve support for self-care expenses for young family caregivers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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