- City looking to add a new clinic to its list of New Moonlight Children's Hospitals in Geomdan, bringing the total number to three clinics in the second half of the year -

- Emergency pediatric medical centers at the Gil Hospital and Inha University Hospital also currently available for critically ill emergency pediatric patients -

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it plans to add a new clinic to its list of Moonlight Children's Hospitals in Geomdan, Seo-gu, in the second half of this year, bringing the total number of Moonlight Children's Hospitals to three.

<Moonlight Children's Hospital in Seo-gu>

Moonlight Children's Hospitals offer fast outpatient treatment for children with mild symptoms on weekday nights (9:00~11:00 pm) and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. At the moment, Incheon has two such clinics (Yonsei Children's Hospital in Michuhol-gu, and Cheongna Yonsei Children's Hospital in Seo-gu).

<Yonsei Pediatrics, Michuhol-gu>

<Cheongna Yonsei Children’s Hospital, Seo-gu>

In April, Incheon designated the Inha University Hospital as an emergency pediatric medical center to help treat severe emergency pediatric patients. The Inha University Hospital now joins Gil Hospital as the two emergency pediatric medical centers in the City.

Korea has ten emergency pediatric medical centers nationwide, and these centers are required to set up a dedicated emergency pediatric room separate from the general emergency room for adults. Age-specific medical equipment for children and 24-hour emergency pediatric physicians can provide specialized care to emergency pediatric patients. However, due to the special nature of the emergency medical center and the declining number of pediatric hospitals, patients with milder symptoms have been flooding emergency pediatric medical centers, raising concerns that pediatric patients with severe conditions may miss out on getting the emergency treatment they need due to the congestion of patients. Accordingly, Incheon has decided to expand its Moonlight Children's Hospital network so that pediatric patients with mild symptoms can get the quick treatment they need without having to visit an emergency pediatric medical center.

With the recent population growth in Seo-gu, the City is looking to designate a second clinic in Geomdan (Seo-gu) during the second half of the year, following the Cheongna Yonsei Children's Hospital in March.

Director of Health and Welfare Kim Seok-cheol said, “At the moment, emergency pediatric hospitals in our City are relatively stable compared to other places in Seoul or Gyeonggi-do. Nevertheless, we will continue to make efforts to expand our emergency treatment system for children and adolescents in the second half of the year.”

Meanwhile, in April last year, a public medical center specializing in children opened at the Inha University Hospital to help treat severely ill pediatric patients who may be difficult to treat at primary and secondary hospitals or clinics.