Uiryeong County in South Gyeongsang Province has been selected for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's "2026 Maternity Care Underserved Area (Mobile OB-GYN) Support Project."
According to the South Gyeongsang Provincial Government on Wednesday, Uiryeong was the sole selection among 17 counties nationwide that lack outpatient obstetrics and gynecology services. The ministry's selection committee evaluated operational feasibility, local government commitment, and project plan validity.
The "Mobile OB-GYN" program was first introduced by South Gyeongsang Province in 2008 as a pioneering regional healthcare initiative. It has since been adopted as a national program and expanded across the country.
The service operates with a specially equipped mobile medical vehicle staffed by a six-member team including an OB-GYN specialist, nurses, and clinical pathologists. The team makes three to five visits per month, providing prenatal examinations and gynecological care to pregnant women and women of childbearing age.
In South Gyeongsang Province, Sancheong and Hamyang have received 100 million won in annual national funding since 2014. Uiryeong has operated its mobile OB-GYN service entirely with provincial funding until now, but will secure 100 million won in national funding annually starting in July following this selection. Both the provincial and county governments expect this to strengthen Uiryeong's public healthcare infrastructure.
"This selection has established a financial foundation for pregnant women in maternity care underserved areas to receive more stable obstetric services," said Yang Jeong-hyun, director of the Childcare Policy Division at the South Gyeongsang Provincial Government. "We will continue our efforts to bridge regional healthcare gaps and create a safe childbirth environment."