○ Discussed policy improvements after hearing firsthand experiences from migrants regarding healthcare services
○ Participants called for stronger medical interpretation services and other measures to improve healthcare access for migrants
○ Gyeonggi Province held the “Gyeonggi Province Migrant Community Policy Roundtable” at the Seongnam Family Center on June 26 to hear directly from migrant residents about the challenges they face when accessing healthcare services.
○ The roundtable was organized ahead of the implementation of the “Gyeonggi Province Ordinance on Improving Public Healthcare Access and Establishing a Collaborative Healthcare System for Foreign Residents,” which was passed by the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly on June 24. The meeting sought to explore practical measures to safeguard migrants’ right to healthcare and strengthen related support policies.
○ Participants included honorary ambassadors for foreign residents, migrant community members, medical interpreters, hospital medical coordinators, and other stakeholders. They exchanged views on the difficulties migrants encounter when using healthcare services and discussed ways to improve related policies.
○ Participants recommended expanding multilingual health information on disease prevention and response, strengthening medical interpretation services at public hospitals, and establishing more systematic professional training programs for medical interpreters. They emphasized the need to improve migrants’ access to both healthcare services and essential health information.
○ Yoon Hyeon-ok, Director of the Gyeonggi Province’s Immigration Society Policy Division, stated, “For migrants to become stable members of local communities, it is essential to listen directly to their experiences and reflect those voices in policymaking,” adding, “We will carefully review the suggestions raised today and explore ways to incorporate them into relevant policies and programs.”
○ Throughout July, Gyeonggi Province will continue holding a series of policy roundtables in cooperation with the Gyeonggi Center for Immigration and Social Integration Support and the province’s honorary ambassadors for foreign residents. Upcoming discussions will focus on international students, youth from migrant backgrounds, and labor-related issues.