According to Nate, citing information from the Busan Fire and Disaster Management Department, a 10-year-old girl experienced anaphylactic shock, seizures, and loss of consciousness around 10 AM on 15/12. This occurred while she was receiving intravenous treatment for a cold at a pediatric clinic in Saha-gu district. Upon receiving reports from medical staff, emergency services immediately sought a hospital for transfer. However, 12 facilities contacted stated they could not admit the patient due to a lack of medical personnel, pediatric beds, and other objective reasons.

After numerous attempts, a lower-tier hospital agreed to admit her. However, during transfer, the child suddenly suffered cardiac arrest. Following emergency treatment at this hospital, her pulse and blood pressure stabilized. Despite this, the girl remained unconscious and was transferred to a tertiary hospital for specialized care.

The estimated time from when firefighters began searching for a hospital until the girl arrived at the tertiary hospital was 1 hour 20 minutes.

An ambulance passes a hospital medical center in Busan. Photo: Busan Ilbo DB

According to Busan Ilbo, this incident exposes the weaknesses in the local emergency medical infrastructure. Notably, Seo-gu district, adjacent to Saha-gu, is home to several leading general hospitals, including: Pusan National University Hospital, Dong-A University Hospital, and Kosin University Hospital. However, due to a shortage of pediatric specialists and emergency room personnel, these hospitals consistently refuse to admit children.

Medical professionals state that anaphylactic shock after intravenous fluid administration is a rare but possible reaction. With timely medical intervention from the outset, patients have a chance of recovery. Ahn Ki-jong, head of the Korea Alliance of Patients' Organizations, said: "Even when overloaded, hospitals must strive to admit and treat as many patients as possible. In cases of medical incidents, measures such as liability exemptions or financial and personnel support for the facility are necessary".

Regarding the incident, President Lee Jae-myung, in a report submitted to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the same day, called for urgent and decisive measures. These measures aim to end the situation where patients waste "golden time" during transport simply because hospitals refuse emergency admissions.

Previously, in 10/2024, a high school student in Busan experiencing seizure symptoms was also refused by 9 hospitals in the Busan and Gyeongnam areas. After more than one hour in an ambulance, the student suffered cardiac arrest and died, despite later being admitted to a hospital.

Binh Minh (Sources: Chosun Daily, Nate, Busan Ilbo)