보건복지부 영문홈페이지

Opening Ceremony and Orientation

for the Second Half of 2024 Dr. LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program for Global Healthcare Workforce Training to be held

 

- Over 170 individuals from 14 countries receiving training at universities including

Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Soon Chun Hyang University, and Korea University -

 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW, Minister Cho KyooHong) and the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH, President Ha Il-soo) will hold the 2024 LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program Opening Ceremony and Orientation on Tuesday, September 3, at 10 AM at the KOFIH LEE Jong-wook Hall located in the Health and Welfare Administration Town in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.

 

The Lee Jong-wook Fellowship, operated as part of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's healthcare ODA support program, is an invitation-based training program aimed at strengthening the capacities of healthcare workforce in developing countries. The fellowship offers training for clinical professors, physicians, nurses, and health ministry officials, with program durations ranging from 2 months to 2 years, depending on the type of course.

 

Since 2009, when the program initially offered only two courses in clinical medicine and health policy, it has expanded significantly with increased government support*. As of 2024, the program now includes degree courses in nursing, basic medicine, medical education, and health policy, as well as eight specialized courses in areas such as infectious diseases, medical technology, and health finance and economics. To date, the program has produced a total of 1,500 graduates** from 30 countries.

* (2009) 200 million KRW → (2013) 3.6 billion KRW → (2024) 10.1 billion KRW (a 4,950% increase from 2009)

** (Asia) 870 (58.0%), (Africa) 622 (41.5%), (Latin America) 8 (0.5%)

 

Graduates of the Lee Jong-wook Fellowship continue to actively engage in clinical and policy works in their respective countries after returning home. For example, healthcare professionals from Mahosot Hospital in Laos, who completed a clinical course at Seoul National University College of Medicine in 2022, have introduced a gestational diabetes screening program upon their return. The program has screened 600 pregnant women, with 125 diagnosed with diabetes, providing them with treatment services and also offering post-care support, including the rental of home blood glucose monitoring devices.

 

The activities of Lee Jong-wook Fellowship graduates after returning to their home countries often link with the grant programs and contribute directly to national healthcare policies. For example, the local medical technology course* attended by public medical technology practitioners from Ghana between 2019 and 2022 provided a significant impetus for recognizing the importance of national medical technology systems. As a result, the Ghana Health Service is now collaborating with the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare's Ghana office to implement the "Ghana Medical Equipment Management System Improvement Project**".

 

* Theoretical training and practical exercises on the operation and management of sterilizers, anesthesia machines, ventilators, and other medical equipment

** A national project aimed at enhancing human resource capabilities and establishing a computerized management system by 2026

 

In 2024, 170 trainees from 14 countries will participate in clinical and policy education across various fields, including basic medicine, emergency surgery, nursing, and medical technology. The training will take place at Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Soon Chun Hyang University, and Korea University that has been newly designated as a training institution this year.

 

Kim Hye-jin, Deputy Minister for Planning and Coordination at the MOHW, said in her congratulatory speech, “We hope that the Lee Jong-wook Fellowship will contribute not only to achieving universal healthcare coverage in each country but also to establishing a global healthcare collaboration system to respond to new pandemics.”

KOFIH President Ha Il-soo noted in his welcoming speech, “The LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program creates a virtuous cycle where those educated in Korea return to their home countries to train more professionals. We will support the trainees in contributing effectively upon their return to their home countries.” ///