The World Scout Jamboree, set to take place in South Korea this year, is an event for scouts from all over the world to come together and build connections. Yet, despite high hopes for the jamboree, the organizing committee came under fire for the inadequate site preparation and management ultimately leading to an overwhelming number of heat-related illnesses amongst attendees. A lack of shaded areas and air-conditioned facilities exposed scouts to scorching temperatures of nearly 40 degrees Celsius, while an insufficient drainage system mixed with heavy downpours provided the perfect place for mosquitoes to set camp. 

The jamboree officially opened on a Thursday and by Sunday, at least 2,500 scouts showed signs of illness. Unable to deal with the inflow of patients, several individuals and organizations sent donations and emergency staff to provide medical care and alleviation. Among them, professor Kim Myung-gon, from Korea University’s (KU) School of Medicine, volunteered to treat the ill scouts. Additionally, the KU Medical Center also sent a team led by the head of the medical department at KU Anam Hospital, Lee Sung-woo. The team, which departed for the jamboree’s campsite on August 5, included a total staff of 10 people pulled from KU’s Anam, Guro, and Ansan Hospitals.