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Busan Metropolitan City to Host “2026 Busan-Style Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention and Management Symposium”: Building an Infectious Disease Response System through Public-Private Collaboration

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it will hold the “2026 Busan-Style Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention and Management Symposium” today (25th) at 1:00 PM in the Main Conference Hall on the 1st floor of City Hall to establish a robust infectious disease response system between local governments and frontline medical institutions.

Approximately 100 infection control officials are expected to attend the event, including personnel in charge of infectious diseases at public health centers in 16 districts and counties, designated sentinel surveillance institutions for healthcare-associated infections, and hospitals participating in regional medical institution networks.

The symposium has been organized with the goal of creating “a city where citizens’ daily lives are safe from infectious diseases,” and to facilitate the smooth implementation of Busan-style healthcare-associated infection prevention and management projects while discussing a sustainable public-private cooperative infection control model.

Healthcare-associated infections (CRE infections) account for more than 60 percent of cases among patients aged 70 and older. In 2024, the incidence rate per 100,000 population was 82.59 nationwide, while Busan recorded 91.98, exceeding the national average.

In particular, Busan ranks first among eight metropolitan and special cities in aging rate (25.3% in 2024) and second in the number of long-term care hospitals (161 in 2024), highlighting the need for a region-specific management system due to the concentration of high-risk groups and vulnerable facilities.

The event will be conducted in two sessions. Session 1 will include presentations on the policy direction of healthcare-associated infection prevention and management projects, as well as the sharing of best practices from Busan and other regions (Incheon Metropolitan City).

Since last year (2025), the city has been implementing the “Healthcare-Associated Infection (CRE Infection) Reduction Strategy Program,” through which it has introduced proactive screening tests in medical institutions and strengthened infection control systems. The presentation of Busan’s performance achievements in this initiative will be delivered first.

This will be followed by a keynote lecture titled “National Policy Direction for Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention and Management Projects” by Lee Su-yeon, Research Officer at the Healthcare-Associated Infection Control Division of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, and a best practice presentation titled “The Role and Expectations of Network Hub Hospitals in Regional Medical Institution Networks” by Park Nam-jeong, Head of Infection Control Team at Pusan National University Hospital.

Session 2 will feature an in-depth panel discussion on strategies for promoting Busan-style public-private cooperation in healthcare-associated infection prevention and management projects.

The discussion will be moderated by Lee Hyuk, former Yeongnam Branch President of the Korean Society for Healthcare-Associated Infection Control and Prevention and Head of Infectious Diseases at Good Samsun Hospital. Panelists will include Professor Noh Tae-hoon of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University; Professor Lee Jae-gap of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University; Jung Hye-young, Head of the Infection Control Office at Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences; and Park Seung-a, Head of the Infectious Disease Control Division at Busan Metropolitan City.

Panelists will comprehensively discuss topics including strategies and responses for managing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria requiring priority intervention, the current status of healthcare-associated infection management in small and long-term care hospitals and collaboration strategies with local governments, field management cases and communication solutions, and governance establishment and management strategies in Busan, followed by a Q&A session.

Jo Gyu-yul, Director General of the Citizen Health Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “Close communication and cooperation between frontline medical institutions and local governments are essential for preventing and controlling the spread of healthcare-associated infections,” adding, “We will actively reflect the diverse perspectives of experts and field practitioners discussed at this symposium into policy to create a ‘safe city, Busan’ where citizens can feel secure.”