○ Gyeonggi Province, Gyeonggi Province Medical Centers, and five tertiary hospitals form joint response system for infectious disease crises
– Establishment of public-private partnership (PPP) network centered on specialist hospitals for infectious diseases in the province, mutual cooperation in crisis response against infectious diseases including COVID-19, and reinforcement of response capabilities
– Promotion of joint response plan creation, specialist training, on-the-job training, joint academic conferences, and more

Gyeonggi Province has entered as cooperation agreement with five tertiary hospitals – Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Ajou University Hospital, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Korea University Ansan Hospital – as well as others.

On January 5, Acting Gyeonggi Province Governor Oh Byoung-gwon, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Director Paik Nam-jong, Ajou University Hospital Director Han Sang-wook, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital Director Shin Eung-jin, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital Director Yu Kyung-ho, Korea University Ansan Hospital Director Kim Woon-young and Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Director Jung Il-young signed the ‘Gyeonggi-do Infectious Disease Joint Response System Establishment Agreement’ during an event held at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex.

Through this agreement, each organization will cooperate in the establishment a PPP network centered on specialist hospitals in the region, establish crisis response plans and collaborate in education/training, hold joint academic conferences, strengthen information sharing systems, and operate efficient medical systems in accordance with the joint response plan

In relation to this, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) will hold an open call for specialist hospitals for infectious diseases in the Korean capital region area until January 13. Among the tertiary hospitals located in the provinces of Gyeonggi and Gangwon as well as in the cities of Seoul and Incheon, only one hospital will be selected through evaluation by a selection committee, and approximately KRW 44.9 billion will be allocated for the installation of 36 beds (6 in intensive care units, 30 in negative pressure rooms), as well as 2 outpatient observation beds and 2 negative pressure rooms for surgeries. The main roles of the specialist hospitals are treatment and examination (diagnosis/examination and isolation/treatment of patients with infectious diseases), education and training (infectious disease response education/training for specialists from medical institutions in the region), and requests and returns (allocation and translocation of patients with infectious diseases in the region).

Gyeonggi Province plans to cooperate with the specialist hospitals in the Korean capital region that will be selected this year so as to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in nascent stages through prompt action via intensive quarantine and treatment programs in the event of a large infectious disease outbreak, such as that of COVID-19.

In his remarks at the signing event, Acting Gyeonggi Province Governor Oh Byoung-gwon said, “As we enter the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have confirmed the importance of preventing and managing infectious diseases, preparing for epidemics and crises, and enhancing response capabilities.” He continued, “I hope that everyone fully commits to setting up hospitals specializing in infectious diseases, as this is a key factor in overcoming COVID-19.”