Pregnant woman gives birth in ambulance after hospital rejection

A pregnant woman from Vietnam gave birth inside an ambulance after being turned away from several hospitals in South Korea. This incident happened on March 16 at Incheon International Airport, where she collapsed. Rescue workers responded quickly and attempted to take her to Inha University Hospital. However, the hospital refused to accept her, as did other nearby hospitals. While waiting outside the hospital, her water broke, and she went into labor. She delivered a healthy baby boy about two hours later while still in the ambulance. Only after the baby was born was she admitted to a hospital for further medical care. This situation highlights a serious problem in South Korea's healthcare system. Since a major doctors' strike began in February 2024, many ambulances have struggled to find hospitals willing to treat emergency patients. Recent data showed that the number of ambulances turned away increased significantly compared to previous years. Doctors began the strike to protest the government’s plan to increase medical school enrollment. In response, the government recently announced it would maintain the current enrollment number if students currently on leave return by the end of March.