Association of Medical Doctors of ASIA, founded in 1984, Consultative Status with UN ECOSOC since 1995

Even after a month since the catastrophic earthquake hit Kumamoto, still more than 10,000 people have been forced to seek refuge in evacuation shelters. Accordingly, the pressing issue for now is to construct temporary housing and secure places for people to live. At Hiroyasu Elementary School in the town of Mashiki-machi where AMDA set up its activity base, the medical post which had been running at the school nurse’s office since April 15^th came to close on May 5^th. Likewise, the aid post in the school gym also completed its task and was closed on May 14^th.
 
On the other hand, the acupuncture therapy is still up and running due to high demand, seeing about 30 patients daily. At the tent village in Mashiki-machi Sports Complex Park, the temporary healthcare room has been managed by nurses, offering acupuncture therapy on Saturdays and Sundays as part of its services.
  
Since April 25^th, six local acupuncturists have joined forces with AMDA acupuncturist team. Meanwhile, music events were organized by relief personnel and evacuees. By engaging everyone to sing together, it allowed the evacuees to vent their stress. As emergency medical needs waned, the contents of assistance have been shifting to personal care. 
 

For the elderly evacuees from Mashiki-machi who were transferred to a special nursing home in Kumamoto City, AMDA is still sending care workers in collaboration with Okayama Elderly People’s Medical Facilities Association. The care workers are keen to assist them with bathing, toileting, health maintenance while organizing recreational activities. The acupuncturists have also made their visit to the home on May 14^th.
 

On May 12^th, upon his visit to AMDA’s shelter, the mayor of Soja City in Okayama donated foldable desks and chairs. Soja City government is AMDA’s reliable collaborating partner who has dispatched a number of staff to this mission (44 public servants and three healthcare workers.)
 
It is also noteworthy that AMDA helped a boy with severe food allergy at the shelter. AMDA provided his family with allergy-friendly food items as they are hard to procure under emergency situations. To prevent anaphylaxis, separating food supplies/utensils from the ordinary ones was also a must. EpiPen (epinephrine injection) was always kept at AMDA’s aid post as well.