JINJU — Children in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, will be able to receive medical care until midnight on weekdays starting next year. The city said on the 20th that it plans to extend weekday night hours at Hamo Children's Hospital, a designated Moonlight Children's Hospital, by one hour.
The move follows the city's push to expand administrative and financial support and operating hours in response to rising demand for nighttime pediatric emergency care. From next year, the hospital will treat patients from 6 p.m. to midnight on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. Prescriptions can be filled at New Gyeongnam Pharmacy, a partner pharmacy near the hospital.
Hamo Children's Hospital opened on Oct. 20 last year and treated 9,960 patients during its first year. It was designated a Moonlight Children's Hospital — a program intended to narrow gaps in nighttime and holiday care for young patients — and treats children with mild symptoms on weekday nights and holidays. The hospital eases the burden on parents seeking medical facilities and reduces unnecessary emergency room visits.
The city has kept in regular contact with the hospital, holding on-site inspections and meetings to review operations and address problems in the registration and treatment process. Since May 1, the hospital has accepted both walk-in and mobile registrations.
An official at the Jinju Public Health Center said the city will "continue to expand the foundation for pediatric emergency care step by step and create a medical environment where both parents and children can receive care with peace of mind."