The International Diagnostic Center Director of Hanaro Medical Foundation, a medical corporation, Kim Han-gyeom, has received a Merit Award from the Korean Society for Cytopathology. The award is assessed to reflect not only his academic achievements but also his contribution to narrowing healthcare disparities by transferring diagnostic technologies to medically underserved regions.

According to Hanaro Medical Foundation on the 14th, Director Kim received the Merit Award at the 39th Spring Academic Conference held on the 10th at the Sejong University Convention Center, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Society for Cytopathology. This award is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of cytopathology and to the Society.

Director Kim is an emeritus professor at Korea University College of Medicine and has contributed to the Society’s advancement by serving, among other roles, as chair of the Board of Trustees of the Korean Society for Cytopathology. In particular, his efforts to improve healthcare environments overseas, beyond Korea, are cited as a key reason for this award.

Beginning with a cytopathology education project in Mongolia in 2007 and extending to the “Baobab Project” in Madagascar, Africa, he has continued educational volunteer work mainly in regions with insufficient medical infrastructure. Rather than limiting his support to diagnostic services, he directly trained local medical personnel in cytopathologic interpretation techniques, thereby laying the groundwork for those countries to build their own independent diagnostic systems.

What makes Director Kim’s activities stand out is that they focus not on one-off medical assistance but on building local diagnostic capabilities. This approach is evaluated as moving away from a structure dependent on external aid toward creating a foundation that allows each country to diagnose and respond to diseases on its own.

In particular, the ongoing “Baobab Project” in Madagascar is cited as a case that supports medical self-reliance by establishing a pathology-based foundation locally. It is considered significant in that it enables medically underserved regions to establish sustainable diagnostic systems without external assistance.

Cytopathology is a core diagnostic field for the early detection of major diseases such as cancer, and differences in interpretation capabilities can cause substantial gaps in healthcare standards. Experts view technology transfer as more effective than simple clinical support in reducing healthcare disparities over the long term.

● From microscopes to digital…expanding borderless diagnostic cooperation

Director Kim is currently working to build a global cooperation system based on a digital pathology platform in his role as head of the International Diagnostic Center at Hanaro Medical Foundation. In the past, he visited sites in person to transfer technology, but more recently he has been noted for building an environment that enables cross-border remote diagnosis and training using digital technologies.

Digital pathology is regarded as a means of enabling specialized diagnostics even in regions with low medical accessibility and is emerging as core infrastructure for future international health cooperation.

Director Kim stated, “Passing on cytopathologic interpretation skills to medical personnel in medically underserved regions and building diagnostic systems there are practical steps toward improving the global healthcare environment,” adding, “I will continue to devote efforts to the advancement of cytopathology at home and abroad and to the training of the next generation.”

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