Yeongju mobile medical bus provides care to rural residents

The 2026 Rural Mobile Medical Bus Support Project recently provided healthcare services to approximately 280 residents at the Yeongju Nonghyup Dansan branch. The initiative, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Yeongju City, NH Nonghyup Bank, and Yeongju Nonghyup, aims to assist elderly populations in rural areas who face difficulties accessing traditional medical facilities.

Medical staff provided oriental medicine treatments, including acupuncture and blood pressure checks, and distributed prescription medications and herbal patches. Additionally, vision services were offered, with participants receiving eye exams and personalized reading glasses.

The program addresses significant accessibility challenges in Yeongju, where approximately 34.5% of the population is aged 65 or older, a figure significantly higher than the national average. While the city has various medical clinics, the distance and lack of transportation remain major barriers for elderly residents in remote townships. Local officials noted that such mobile services are essential for reducing medical blind spots in aging rural communities.