This post is one of curiosity and interest in a socialist country that is largely a mystery of what occurs in everyday life. How is the healthcare system, what sort of technology and resources are available, what training do the nurses receive, is it hospital or university based? This post is not based on any knowledge other than searches from the internet and healthcare databases (Cinahl, Embase and Medline). It is also not a political post, so please add helpful and insightful resources focusing on healthcare into the comment’s section to build on the below resources. If anyone has any links to nursing schools in North Korea it would be amazing to hear about nurse training.
Search terms: Nursing and (North Korea or Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).
The formal searches yielded only one relevant article. Many articles exist but they focus on ethical and political viewpoints. Google search was more successful, but it is the unknown of the quality or true picture they provide. See below for resources.
WHO Stats:
- Health System: Free access for all
- Life Expectancy: Male 67/Female 74
Remember its very easy to get caught up in ‘our health system is the best’ mentality. When we look outside our own walls, there are some healthcare systems where the principles of ‘healthcare for all’ exist. An example is the Cuban healthcare system and also the work they do in training healthcare professionals in other nations. DPRK 360 provide a different perspective to North Korea, than portrayed in the media.
BBC Panorama: Inside North Korea (2017)
Resources
Barrett, J. (2011). The North Korean Healthcare System: On the Fine Line Between Resilience and Vulnerability.
Cha, J. (2015). Scenes from a North Korean Hospital. The Guardian.
DPRK 360. (2018) A different perspective to North Korea.
Kim, H. K., Lee, O. J., & Baumann, S. L. (2011). Nursing Practice with Families Without a Country. Nursing science quarterly, 24(3), 273-278. [abstract]
Kim, S. (2016). Comparison of North and South Korea Nursing Workforce Training System and Integration Plan. Advanced Science and Technology Letters. Vol.132 (Healthcare and Nursing 2016), pp.233-236.
Wikipedia (2017). Health in North Korea.
Wikipedia (2017). Pyongyang Maternity Hospital.
World Health Organisation. (2018). Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.