Unified health system ; Step-by-step strategy ; Recovery support stage ; Unification
Abstract
This paper aims to make a step-by-step strategy to formulate an unified health system by clarifying and overcoming challenges facing
South and North Korea and to estimate costs needed for South Korea to assist North Korea to recover to normal health delivery
system. We explored implications through literature review and estimated costs under the assumption that supportive activities be
provided for 5 years in three ways: support for the development of health and medical care manpower; support for health and
medical facilities; and support for the provision of both preventive and primary health care. Step-by-step strategy is formulated for a
unified health system with the cost estimation resulting as follows: in case of basic scenario, a total of 3 trillion and 341 billion won
(at present value of the year 2017) is in need for the 5-year period at the initial ‘recovery support stage’ with 135.9 billion won for the
development of health and medical care manpower, approximately 2 trillion won for health and medical facilities, and 1.2 trillion
won for the provision of both preventive and primary health care. Step-by-step approach is more realistic and applicable in formulating
unified health system. Suggested stages are ‘recovery support stage,’ ‘system homogenization stage,’ and ‘unified system
stage.’ Strategies at ‘recovery support stage’ suggested in this paper need to be pursued and followed by those at ‘system homogenization
stage’ and ‘unified system stage.’