[Desk] 550,000 soldiers and COVID-19 vaccine

In mid-August last year, the Ministry of National Defense completed the first and second vaccinations against 550,000 soldiers.

 

The types are identified as Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, including the Janssen vaccine.

 

It deserves to be evaluated as a "successful vaccine operation" achieved quickly in a quasi-war situation facing North Korea.

 

Currently, all COVID-19 prevention vaccines in circulation have an ERA of more than 70% based on the WHO.

 

Therefore, the completion of vaccinations for all troops is essential for maintaining and improving combat power.

 

What is particularly interesting is the joint civilian-military vaccination program.

 

This refers to an operation jointly conducted by private consigned medical institutions and military hospitals from December 13 last year to January 14 this year.

 

The intention of the operation, which was temporarily carried out, is to guarantee the right to self-determination and achieve a rapid vaccination rate for Armed Forces soldiers.

 

Compared to the military's traditional closed organizational culture for security maintenance and military establishment, this operation is an unusual policy.

 

Military hospitals mobilized at the time of the first and second inoculations are counted as 91 clinics, including Army, Navy, and Air Force medical units.

 

The military hospital consists of 17 nursing institutions, including the Korean Armed Forces Capital Hospital.

 

Affiliated institutions include the Armed Forces Medical School, the Armed Forces Medical Research Institute, and the General Medical Situation Center.

 

At the time of the third inoculation, the number of privately entrusted medical institutions cannot be revealed as private.

 

However, 10% of all soldiers, that is, about 55,000 out of 550,000 Armed Forces soldiers, were vaccinated at outpatient clinics, not military hospitals.

 

The Ministry of National Defense collected soldiers who wanted to be vaccinated in private hospitals and received medical treatment by bus.

 

The same per capita vaccination cost as the private sector of 19,000 won was applied.

 

In other words, about 1 billion won in defense budget has been spent on private medical institutions.

 

It is estimated that there are about 3,000 military doctors and nursing officers in Korea.

 

They are considered experts who have completed their professional qualifications after graduating from medical school or have completed elite medical education at the Armed Forces Nursing School.

 

Some point out that when inoculated at a military hospital, medical personnel could save taxpayers' money for aesthetic purposes.

 

However, there is something that should not be overlooked here.

 

It is commendable that their own military organization is interested in the needs of the people and the human rights of military soldiers, and is making a gesture of communication.

 

It is also commendable that soldiers stopped by an outpatient pharmacy located near the hospital to purchase antipyretic analgesics such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and revitalized the surrounding commercial districts, although small.

 

Parents with sons who joined the military are very worried about side effects after vaccination.

 

In this situation, it can be seen as a reform through change that soldiers were allowed to decide to vaccinate.

 

At a time when policies such as the volunteer military system and salary increase are being discussed, the time has come to discuss the reorganization of the public-private joint medical system related to the improvement of military medical rights.