From uk at korea-dpr.com Sat Nov 10 16:19:16 2007
From: uk at korea-dpr.com (uk at korea-dpr.com)
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:19:16 +0100 (CET)
Subject: [Kfa-uk] Some Articles on Free Medical Care in the DPRK
Message-ID: <[email protected] a-dpr.com>

Free Medical Care in DPRK
Pyongyang, November 9 (KCNA) -- Old woman Choe Pu Yong residing in
Samsong-ri, Samsok District of Pyongyang, greeted her 110th birthday
some time ago to the delight to all people.
Her mental power, energy, speech and appetite are not inferior to
those in their 70s or 80s. She owed this to the superior socialist
public health system.
Jang To Gyong, a department director of the Ministry of Public Health,
had an interview with KCNA regarding this.
Reporter: It is told that grandma Choe owes the secret of her long
life to the socialist public health system under which the state takes
care of the life and health of the people with responsibility.
Director: The government of the DPRK, which regards the lives and
health of the people as the first and foremost object of protection by
the state, promulgated a decision on enforcing the universal free
medical care system unprecedented in the history of world public
health on November 13, Juche 41 (1952) when the Fatherland Liberation
War was in its height.
The Socialist Constitution stipulates to receive the free medical care
as one of the civic elementary rights and the government has taken all
steps for the citizens to enjoy this right to the full.
Reporter: Would you elaborate upon the benefits of the universal free
medical care system?
Director: A well-arranged medical service system has been established
in all parts of the country, provinces, cities, counties and ris.
Under the section doctor system, doctors call on inhabitants and do
their best for the lives of patients.
All the medical services are also free of charge in the country.
The fees for medicines, vaccination and prosthetic appliances, to say
nothing of medical examination and operation are also free. Working
people go to and come back from sanatoriums and undergo medical
treatment there for scores of days at the expenses of the government.
In particular, the working women have the maternity leave at the state
expense on top of the paid regular and supplementary leaves. The state
also provides them with the maternity allowances tantamount to 100
percent of the monthly salary, food and stabilized living conditions
irrespective of the length of service. When they are hospitalized to
the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital, they are benefited 10 times their
monthly salary free of charge.
Each hospital has a department for the regular medical examination and
treatment of the aged. Thanks to this, 100-year macrobians are ever
growing in number.
Free medical care system



After the country&#39;s liberation in August 1945, the Democratic People&#39;s
Republic of Korea has made great efforts to set up an advanced people&#39;s
health care system, while enforcing free medical care system through
social insurance and laying material and technical foundations of public
health and training a lot of health officials.

The efforts to stamp out epidemic diseases, the aftermath of Japanese
military rule, were carried on. In February 1946, the microbiological
institute (then northwestern anti-epidemic centre) in the Academy of
Medical Science, the first scientific research institute, had already been
built in Pyongyang at the cost of 200,000 won (at that time).

President Kim Il Sung urged the leading officials of the Ministry of
Public Health on January 20, 1952 to enforce the universal free medical
care system during the war, even though it was difficult to do so.

A decision of the Cabinet "To enforce the free medical care system" was
adopted on November 13, 1952 and the universal free medical service at
state expense started from January 1, 1953. Thus an advanced public health
service system was established in the DPRK.

The universal free medical care system introduced during the war is
different from the previous free medical care system through social
insurance and characterized by the high quality of medical service for the
people.

After liberation the DPRK worked hard to protect the health of mothers and
children, promote medical treatment for disabled persons, take care of war
orphans and reconstruct public health establishments damaged in the war as
early as possible.

It ensured that public health work has developed into an all-people
campaign and convened the national meeting of health workers in April 1959
to bring about a radical turn in hygienic work.

An advanced public health system was established according to the decision
of the Supreme People&#39;s Assembly to enforce the complete and universal
free medical care system in February 1960.

The system ensures that all kinds of medical treatment are given free of
charge at state expense.

It offers medical treatment fees for consultation, treatment, medical
care, travelling for sanatorium and medical check-up and provides disabled
person with correction facilities gratis.

Everybody in the DPRK, regardless of sex, age, job, address and quantity
and quality of labour, benefits from all kinds of medical care on an equal
basis.

The DPRK provides all conditions for the people to enjoy medical care
everywhere.

Hospitals, polyclinics and clinics were built everywhere people live.

The public health budget increased 34 times between 1952 when the
universal free medical care system was introduced and 1976, and twice or
thrice between 1971 and 1976.

Prevention of diseases is prerequisite for public health service system.
Preventive service is placed before medical treatment to protect the
people&#39;s health.

Thanks to the district medical care system everybody has a quick access to
medical service.

Doctors in charge of households provide medical service for residents with
a high sense of responsibility.

Consultation and examination are different according to sex, age and job.
Women are given double medical assistance by doctor in charge of
household, obstetrician and paediatrician in the period from pregnancy to
recovery.

Medical workers devote their all to the people&#39;s life and health. They
treat diseases that are seen incurable according to established theory or
experience in medical science.

They donate blood, skin and bone to patients.

The Korean people enjoy the advanced health care

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