According to the survey conducted by The Hyowon Herald from May 21st to May 26th, 44% percent were dissatisfied with Pusan National University (PNU)’ s health-related welfare when asked “Do you think health-related welfare is well organized?” Also, on May 14th, a comprehensive survey of personal satisfaction reported by the General Student Council (GSC) showed that students pined for household medicines and sanitary products. The survey of the previous GSC also showed that students required the improvement of health-related welfare on October 6th, 2020. It led us to explore why students noted a lack of a healthcare system. 

　For starters, it owes a lot to the dearth of household medicine and sanitary products at PNU. Students exemplify this situation. They are obliged to come to terms with having a long journey to discover it when they have fallen ill. Kwon Huk-Joo (17, Dept. of Organic Material Systems Engineering) said, “There were days when I had a splitting headache while studying in the school library. However, nothing in this school is harder than obtaining the medicines. So, it occurred to me that if PNU informed students of a way to obtain them, it would be better.” Since such discomfort has been prolonged, PNU equipped each department building with household medicines and feminine products. However, after visiting few of the buildings, 8 in 10 saw household medicine and feminine products remained few and far between. 

　Combined with this, limited medical treatment at the health care center bars students at PNU from enjoying good welfare. Now, PNU offers students counseling doctors working at the Department of Family Medicine, medications, and dressings. However, PNU’s healthcare center's service is not as diverse as Chonnam National University’s (CNU) which provides Hepatitis A vaccination, Hepatitis B vaccination, cervical cancer vaccination, inoculation counseling, and prevention projects for chronic diseases. Lee Eun-Joo (Director, PNU Health Service Center) said, “Not being classified as a hospital institution that CNU adopted, PNU’s health care center saw various treatments in short supply. Covid-19 also exacerbated the difficulty of providing household medicines and sanitary products, which was possible in the past. We are subject to being prohibited from giving medicine to those hoping for Tylenol but instead have to send them to a public health center, not to mention terminated medical treatments by family medicine clinics. 

　Last but not least, there are problems with promotions and incentives of the medical credit system. Student medical credit signifies a beneficial student welfare system, alleviating financial burdens by paying an appropriate salary when students are injured or have been ill and performing prevention campaigns designed to stabilize college life and improve health. However, students are unlikely to have knowledge involving this system. Following a survey conducted by the Hyowon Herald is a prime indicator. 54.8% percent of the survey respondents responded, “We do not know how much medical compensation we can receive from paying a medical fee every year.” What is more, the issue of the medical payment being comparably small stands out given the amount at other universities. The medical fee at PNU is 500 won more expensive than Kyungpook National University (KNU), while the standard for paying medical benefits is far more demanding. Take public accidents: PNU provides up to 5 million won for public accidents, and at least 200,000 won for it; KNU offers up to 10 million won and at least 3 million won. In addition, in the case of death, KNU additionally subsidizes funeral benefits paid to bereaved families with 2 million won. And, PNU restricts the student welfare system to one payout a semester, while KNU offers it twice a semester. It drew students at PNU to censure their school system of raising higher medical fees and remarkably lower medical deduction payments next to KNU. In accordance with such condemnation, The Hyowon Herald unveiled the survey, demonstrating “54.8% thought our student welfare is significantly negligible compared to other universities.”

　Park Jong-kyu (Head of Student Welfare Team) said, “I thought students were keenly aware of health-related welfare, But, I got it wrong. It dawned on me that not only should we be putting household medicine and feminine products within grasp but also complementing the number of treatments. We will try harder to clear a path for more promotion and the benefit of students.