Juche

    In the DPRK medical workers work out plan on the basis of situation of patients’ diseases and their constitutional features and give timely medical treatment to them.

    The DPRK considers it as a principle that only a qualified medical worker can give medical treatment to patients.

    Medical worker should conduct medical activities within the limits of his or her technical qualification. In case one does beyond the limits, one must be responsible for it. Even though one is qualified, the one who does not work at medical institution must not give medical treatment to patients. DPRK citizen or foreign citizen who was qualified abroad must receive qualification certificates from the central health guidance organ if they want to conduct medical activities in the DPRK.

    Medical institutions give medical treatment in the methods acknowledged and approved scientifically.

    In particular, skin graft and other tissue graft, graft of internal organs, replacing with artificial organs, laser treatment, laparoscopic surgery, gene therapy and the like are given after examining medical indications at doctors’ consultative meeting. In case of utilizing in treatment the internal organs of the alive, a patient in brain death or the dead, it is necessary to seek agreement of the patient or his or her protector. Koryo therapy including Korean traditional medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion and cupping therapies and such natural factors as mineral water, spa and mud are being widely introduced in treating patients.

    Central health guidance organ, local power organ and relevant institution explore and develop natural factors necessary for the treatment of patients in a far-sighted way and properly protect and manage them so as to make them utilized in treating patients more effectively.

    Medical institution actively introduce different non-drug methods including manual therapy and massage in the treatment.

    Medical institution and workers prescribe so as to make drugs effective in treatment and, in case it is acknowledged to be serious due to disease, they prescribe more relevant medicine after discussing at doctors’ consultative meeting and gaining approval of the relevant medical institution. In this case, they combine drugs rationally so as to prevent poisoning.

    Medical institution properly draws up relevant documents related to treatment including clinical chart, medical certificate and prescription and keeps their original and copy till the period fixed by central health guidance institution or relevant organ.