Cancer patients complained they were not receiving timely treatment due to a protracted standoff between the government and the medical community.

On Tuesday, the Korean Cancer Patients’ Rights Council (KCPRC) released the results of a survey conducted by the Korean Pancreatic Cancer Patients Association on 189 pancreatic cancer patients from April 24 to 28.

The results showed that only 66 respondents reported receiving normal medical treatment.

The types of harm (double-counted) reported by the KCPRC included delayed outpatient visits (34 cases), delayed hospitalization due to reduced inpatient rooms (22), refusal to see new patients (23), change from inpatient chemotherapy to outpatient chemotherapy (22), delayed chemotherapy (22), forced transfer (13), canceled outpatient visits (10), delayed surgery (6), and canceled surgery (2).

"Cancer patients are having a terrifying experience in May," the KCPRC said, calling for the government to investigate all cases of patient harm and discuss treatment measures. The organization also urged professors at some tertiary general hospitals who had announced a weekly day off to rescind the announcement.

"The government and the medical community say they are doing their best and contributing to the emergency system to ensure that there is no major disruption to patients and that there is no inconvenience to medical services," the KCPRC said. “However, they are turning a blind eye to the pain and groans of patients."

It said that the longer the stalemate continues, the more fearful patients become and the less consideration is given to them.

"We hope to see the normalization of the healthcare system in any way within this month," the cancer patients’ council added.