Responding to the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, Tohoku Block DMAT has been carrying out medical assistance in the areas affected by the disaster. Assistant Professor Hiroyuki Sasaki of IRIDeS went to the site as a member of Tohoku University Hospital DMAT (disaster medical assistance team) which is one of the teams in Tohoku Block DMAT, and took part in activities from April 17 – 19.

DMAT is a team of medical professionals, consisting of doctors, nurses and logistics experts who have gone through special training, which engage in rapid-response activities after disasters, to save as more lives as possible. Assistant Professor Sasaki is a member of the Disaster Medical Science Division in IRIDeS, and also a surgeon possessing DMAT qualification.

From the morning of April 18, Assistant Professor Sasaki, with other team members, based in Aso Medical Center, Kumamoto Prefecture, carried out emergency transportation of elderly people in nursing homes in Minamiaso Village who were ill, to medical institutions. The special nursing home which they went to support had accepted elderly who were in neighboring nursing homes that were damaged by the earthquake, besides the usual residents; however, the facility lacked electricity and water, and was operating with only about half of the staff than usual for several reasons, including the collapse of the Aso Ohashi bridge.

As the nursing home was out of electricity and water, overcrowded, and the staff were exhausted, DMAT concluded that the facility may fall into a dangerous situation in several days if the circumstances did not change, thus, the team, including Assistant Professor Sasaki consulted the head of the nursing home, and decided to transport residents who were in especially serious conditions to medical institutions. Fifteen people out of the approximately 140 residents were taken to a hospital in Oita Prefecture by an ambulance of the emergency fire response team.

It is said that not being able to get involved with medical assistance in nursing homes at an early stage was one of the issues that arouse from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. According to Assistant Professor Sasaki, surveys concerning the situation of nursing homes had hardly been conducted beforehand in Kumamoto; therefore, DMAT collected information and carried out medical assistance when needed. This time, Tohoku block DMAT was able to get involved promptly, by making use of the experience and lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

[Photo] Regular meeting held at Taketa Medical Association Hospital in Taketa City, Oita Prefecture, which became the headquarters and gathering place for Tohoku block DMAT. Welcomed by Oita DMAT, a total of eight teams from Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, including Tohoku University DMAT, gathered to discuss the condition of the regions affected by the disaster, which change every moment, and the areas and details of their activities.

For further information or questions, please contact IRIDeS Public Relations Office:

+81-22-752-2049 or koho-office*irides.tohoku.ac.jp

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