Mongolian Boy with Clubfoot Treated, Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital Opens with a 6 Billion Won Investment

In the lobby of Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, a Mongolian couple anxiously stated, "We have been waiting since April last year and finally received the surgery."

Their 11-year-old son was undergoing corrective surgery for clubfoot. Born with his feet turned inward like golf clubs, his condition worsened as he grew, preventing him from walking. His mother learned about the skills of Korean doctors while receiving treatment at the Mongolian National Trauma Center. She waited over a year for the hospital to open, reassured by the success of previous surgeries performed by the same medical team.

The surgery was conducted by Professor Ahn Jae-in, a leading expert in pediatric orthopedic surgery specializing in foot deformities at Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital. Professor Ahn began with the boy's right foot, assisted by two local doctors who learned the surgical techniques. Constantly explaining as he operated, Professor Ahn stated the next day, "The surgery went well, but a supplementary surgery will be needed in 1-2 years. I have not seen as many such cases anywhere as in Mongolia." Simultaneously, Director Kim Boo-seob performed surgery on a patient with an anterior cruciate ligament tear from a basketball injury. After his operation, Director Kim joined Professor Ahn for a three-hour correction surgery on both of the boy’s feet.

Director Kim noted the increased difficulty due to the boy's age, with the condition becoming more rigid as he grew. He recalled a similar surgery on a 58-year-old clubfoot patient in Mongolia.

Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital commenced medical services on June 10 and held its official opening ceremony on July 5. The hospital, a rare modern facility in Mongolia, includes departments such as orthopedics, surgery, internal medicine, and rehabilitation medicine, with neurology and pediatrics to open soon. Director Kim has shown unwavering dedication to Mongolian patients, conducting medical volunteer work twice a month since 2009 and performing over 1,500 surgeries. He also spent 300 million won to establish an operating room at the Mongolian National Trauma Center, leading a 30-member volunteer team to treat over 10,900 patients in remote areas of Mongolia for the past decade. Now, the effort has culminated in a comprehensive hospital, converted from a hotel building at an investment of 6 billion won, featuring 45 beds and three operating rooms. Major Mongolian broadcasters, including UBS, extensively covered the opening. The hospital employs 65 local staff, including 15 doctors. The hospital has invited 107 Mongolian medical professionals to Korea for free training, many of whom now work at Chung-Ang University Health Care System Hyundae Hospital.

Director Kim stated, "We plan to mainly operate on severe cases, including those with complications from surgeries performed elsewhere or those rejected by other hospitals due to financial difficulties. We aim to teach young Mongolian doctors, residents, and medical students the latest knowledge and techniques." Choi Jin-won, the Korean ambassador to Mongolia, highlighted in his congratulatory speech at the opening ceremony, "In 2021, Korea and Mongolia elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership, and the healthcare sector is expected to play a central role in this collaboration."