J Korean Med Assoc.  2013 May;56(5):358-367.

Overview of healthcare system in North Korea

• Lee M
• Kim H
• Cho D
• Kim SY

Abstract

In this study, we analyzed the healthcare system of North Korea using Kleczkowski's model which categorizes national healthcare infrastructure into five components: health resources, organization, healthcare delivery system, economic support, and management. It was found that the healthcare system in North Korea, which provides clinical medicine, Koryo medicine and preventive medicine, is constituted of a physician system of independent geographic sectors and centralized delivery system while maintaining free universal health coverage. These systems are all managed by the government and the People's Committee Party. However, North Korea has been confronted with severe economic difficulties since the 1990s, such that we question whether the healthcare system has been able to function properly despite of the lack of resources in general throughout the country.

Keyword

National healthcare system of North Korea; Free universal health coverage; Physician system of independent geographic sectors; Koryo medicine; Four tiers of healthcare delivery system

MeSH Terms

Clinical Medicine
Collodion
Delivery of Health Care
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Health Resources
Preventive Medicine
Collodion

Figure

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  Figure 1 National healthcare system of North Korea regarding to Kleczkowski model (From Kleczkowski et al. National health systems and their reorientation towards health for all: guidance for policy-making. Geneva: World Health Organization; 1984) [6].

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  Figure 2 Organogram of public health in North Korea (From World Health Organization, Country Office for DPR Korea. Organogram of Ministry of Public Health in DPR Korea [Internet]. Pyeongyang: World Health Organization, Country Office for DPR Korea) [20].

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  Figure 3 Four tiers of healthcare delivery system in North Korea.

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