Amnesty researcher Norma Kang Muico speaks at a press conference on North Korea's health care in Seoul yesterday.Photo: AFP

North Korea's healthcare system is in such a state of crisis that doctors are frequently forced to perform surgery without anaesthetics, tying down patients to operating tables to prevent them moving, a report by Amnesty International has said.
The report, released by the rights group yesterday, paints a grim picture of medical services in the isolated country with medical staff often working by candlelight in hospitals that lack heat and power.
It added that the situation was deteriorating yet further with the country's worsening economic situation.
With little access to even basic supplies doctors often resort to using unsterilised equipment, including, needles, Amnesty said, while many patients were forced to barter for basic healthcare needs.
The report said the problems were compounded by the communist state's increased isolation and government reluctance to seek international cooperation and assistance.
Many of North Korea's 24 million people reportedly face health problems related to chronic malnutrition, such as tuberculosis and anemia, Amnesty said.
The report was based on interviews with more than 40 North Koreans who have defected, mostly to South Korea, as well as organisations