An 18-month-old infant with a severed finger...15 Seoul Hospitals Denied Employment

ⓒYonhap News Agency

In Seoul, two fingers of an 18-month-old infant were cut off, but 15 hospitals, including a senior general hospital, refused to accept patients.

According to the Dong-A Ilbo on the 21st, at 1:47 p.m. on the 16th, an 18-month-old Lee was walking with his mother at an apartment in Seoul when his finger got stuck on an iron sign reading "No Vehicle Traffic" and his middle and ring finger were cut off.

119 paramedics arrived immediately but could not find the hospital. They asked 15 hospitals, including Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul Asan Hospital, and Korea University Anam Hospital, but they all refused, saying they could not accommodate them.

It is known that they refused to accept orthopedic treatment, because the patient was too young, and because of the circumstances in which finger joint surgery could be performed. Other small and medium-sized hospitals said they would not accept patients for similar reasons.

The paramedic told the Dong-A Ilbo, "The child's bleeding was so severe that his life was almost in danger right before the shock, so we could not consider a remote local hospital," adding, "Most hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area, as well as senior hospitals, refused to accept it."

His mother, Yang, also said, "I've only seen the emergency room hit and run on the news, but it was serious when I experienced it myself," adding, "I was in a hurry, so I called with paramedics and recognized hospitals that could be accommodated."

Eventually, Lee arrived at New Start Hospital in Songpa-gu, Seoul at around 3 p.m., underwent joint surgery at around 9 p.m., and is currently recovering.

Meanwhile, the medical crisis, which began in February this year, has been going on for 10 months, and urgent patients continue to be unable to find beds.

Reporter Lee Yu Na from Digital News Team.