Current status and direction of welfare policy for people with disabilities

At the end of 2009, the number of registered disabled was 2,430,000 in South Korea. Of them, 90% originated from acquired causes such as diseases or accidents. Although disabilities are everyday problems that can be met by anybody, disabilities had been a problem that people tried to conceal. However, social recognition of the disabled has been developing with changes in the social environment. The government of the Republic of Korea has upgraded the policy on disabilities from benefaction to social security. The Korean government tries to support a variety of welfare systems for the disabled. Specifically, jobs for the disabled are going to increase from 3,400 positions in 2010 to 10,300 in 2011. The pension system for the disabled, introduced in July 2010, will be continuously supplemented. If a personal care assistance system for the disabled is introduced beginning in October 2011, the number of supporting personnel who will visit and provide nursing services to the disabled will increase from 30,000 at present to 50,000 at the end of 2011. Besides the above welfare system for the disabled, people should participate in the prohibition of discrimination against the disabled and the improvement of social recognition to the disabled. After that, social participation by the disabled will be expanded so that an integrated society based on the rights of the disabled can be realized in Korea.

Living Related Donor Liver Transplantation in Children: Indication and Clinical Outcome

PURPOSE: Living related donor liver transplantation (LRLT) was introduced into our pediatric liver transplantation program as a response to the shortage of donors. This study was performed to evaluate the indication, complication and outcome of LRLT in children. METHODS: From December, 1994 to May, 1997, a total of 20 LRLTs had been performed at Asan Medical Center for end-stage liver disease. The patients ranged in age from 6 months to 14 years (median : 1 year 4 months) and in body weight from 5.8 to 50.5kg (median : 9.8kg). The indications for transplantation were biliary atresia (11), Wilson disease (3), nonsyndromic intrahepatic bile duct paucity (2), Byler syndrome (1), cirrhosis (1), fulminant hepatitis (1) and posthepatectomy bile duct stricture (1). Among them 3 ABO blood group incompatibilities were included. The lateral segment or the left lobe of the liver was used for the graft. As for immunosuppression, cyclosporin A based immunosuppression was used for the initial 11 cases which later changed into FK506 based for the last 9 cases. RESULTS: The actuarial survival rate of recipients was 90% for our cases. Two deaths occurred, one of whom died of acute respiratory distress syndrome due to respiratory syncytial virus infection on 51st postoperative day and the other died of gastrointestinal bleeding from Epstein- Barr virus infection and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease on 11th postoperative month. No patient died of surgical complications. Acute rejection episodes were observed in 6 (5 among 11 cyclosporin A based immunosuppression and 1 among FK506 group) which were managed successfully. All donors (6 fathers and 14 mothers) are alive and well with normal activity. CONCLUSION: We concluded that LRLT is a promising option for alleviating the shortage of livers for pediatric transplantation.