World Rallies to Augment Medical Resources in Japan

The destructive earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan's Miyagi prefecture have caused a cascade of health and safety problems for survivors, including possible exposure to radiation from the region's damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake occurred off the northeast coast of Japan; a subsequent tsunami struck the coast, killing thousands and causing serious, widespread damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and to buildings, roads, and power lines, particularly along the east coast of the Tohoku region. The damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant following the earthquake and tsunami has resulted in an ongoing leak of radiation from this facility, and the Japanese government has evacuated hundreds of thousands of residents of Fukushima Prefecture living within 20 km of the nuclear power plant. The disaster has strained medical resources on the ground, and it is unclear how many resources will be needed in the future.

Responding to the challenge, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF; Geneva, Switzerland) currently has 12 people on the ground, divided into three teams, which are operating mobile clinics and assessments in Miyagi prefecture and Oshima Island. MSF is in the process of identifying specific needs, which include oxygen, nonfood items, medical items, and water, and it is working with Japanese authorities to assist these populations. Additional MSF personnel are standing by in Japan and other countries.

Following an official request for aid from the Japanese Foreign Ministry to the Israeli government, a preliminary delegation of two doctors and a Home Front Command officer is in Japan to look into the needs on the ground, ahead of a larger delegation of doctors and medical equipment. The Israeli Foreign and Defense Ministries will ship blankets, coats, gloves, and portable toilets to the city of Kurihara, where survivors from the nearby town of Sendai have been transferred. Additionally, Israel has already sent 100 Geiger counters to Japan, and 200 more will be sent following an urgent request for the radiation-monitoring devices by Japanese police and fire department authorities.

The United States Government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID; Washington DC, USA), has deployed a response team that includes disaster response experts, nuclear experts, as well as urban search and rescue teams, including 144 personnel, 12 canines trained to detect live victims, and 45 tons of equipment. At the same time, several large US nonprofit organizations that have the benefit of working with partner organization in Japan are channeling donations to those groups, including the American Red Cross (Washington DC, USA), and the US branch of the Salvation Army (Alexandra, VA, USA).

"The United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial,” said US President Barack Obama.

"This is a very complex disaster, and it's an evolving, ongoing situation,” said Kristi Koenig, MD, director of the Center for Disaster Medical Sciences at the University of California, Irvine (UCI; USA). "The recovery phase of this disaster is going to be years and years and years. They need people over the next many months to years to help, because the whole public health infrastructure is disrupted.”

Related Links:
Medecins Sans Frontieres
US Agency for International Development
American Red Cross
US branch of the Salvation Army
University of California, Irvine