Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital

A medical aid team of Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital and Hallym Burn Foundation visited Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to give free medical services for six days from June 15 to 20, 2015.

Led by Dr. Jong Wook Lee of plastic and reconstructive surgery, the team included Dr. Yong Suk Cho of burn surgery, social workers, and Dr. Purevsukh Khishigjargal, a Mongolian fellow at Hangang hospital. At the National Trauma and Orthopedic Research Center in Ulaanbataar, the medical aid team of Hangang treated 117 patients and performed burn surgeries for 6 emergency patients. With the help of Hallym Burn Foundation, 30 Mongolian children were selected to be invited to Korea for surgery due to lack of surgical instrument and facilities.

Dr. Lee said, “Every time I visit underprivileged countries, I can feel there are so many burn patients who are in need of proper treatment. I will keep joining these activities in secluded areas to help more burn patients find new hope.”

Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital and Hallym Burn Foundation have been practicing free medical services and have invited burn patients from low income countries in Asia since 2009. They started treating Mongolian patients in 2012. They treated 369 patients, did surgeries for 29 patients, and invited 16 critical patients to Korea for advanced burn surgery.

By Ji Hee Hwang, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (jihee@hallym.or.kr)