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

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AMDA Emergency Response #13 – West Japan Torrential Rain

Publication date:2018-07-22
 
July 20th, 2018
Two weeks have past since the torrential rain disaster in the Western Japan.  AMDA continues to provide medical and health support at the evacuation centers for the victims in both Soja City and Mabicho, Kurashiki.

 -Massage and acupuncture services:
 (Okada Elementary and Nursery School, Mabicho)

On July 19th, 7 people received massage therapy, and 18 for acupuncture treatments.
Some visit every day for the treatment and to enjoy communicating with the others. A patient in her 70s suffering from body pain and insomnia received massage treatment, smiled and said, “I feel so relaxed now. I am hopeful to have sound sleep tonight.” Another patient who received acupuncture treatment the day before was impressed with its effect that he came back again and brought his three sons this time. Initial medical check showed no signs of major pain or complaint for them, but the therapy revealed they each had exhaustion built up in their bodies.
 
One acupuncturist in AMDA Disaster Acupuncture Team who participated both in the Kumamoto Earthquake of 2016 and the current emergency relief activities, said there is a significant difference between those two disasters. When Kumamoto earthquake followed by a large afterquake and continuous shakes that there were evacuees who complained more of their anxiety and fear than their body pain. On the contrary, for this disaster, people feel less anxious or fearful. Their main complaint comes from the exhaustion from doing physical work (cleaning up their flooded houses) which results in body pain. The Kumamoto earthquake happened in April, while this disaster struck in July. The extremely wilting heat just makes the rehabilitation efforts more difficult, and some evacuees are dehydrated. The evacuees are still tense after the disaster and people sometimes do not realize they need to receive medical help.

Other people suffered from back pain, exhaustion and insomnia and AMDA provided massage and acupuncture treatments. The AMDA team made sure to take enough time for each patient.

The treatment room that AMDA has been using at Okada Nursery School will relocate to Okada Elementary School. AMDA will continue both massage and acupuncture treatment at the new location.

 -Health-related assistance for the evacuees:
(Sunwork Soja, Soja City)
AMDA continues to provide health support program at Sunwork Soja. 10 people received AMDA medical team’s support.  One health worker and a coordinator from AMDA in conjunction with other health worker requested for shower chair, a necessary nursing product for the elderly. It was their first bath in one week, and it made the evacuees feel clean and refreshed, and they started to stay positive, and it was apparently important to bath during the time spent at the evacuation centers.
AMDA distributed much needed sports drinks and salt tablets among the evacuees and they were well received. AMDA encouraged the evacuees to participate in the daily exercise, and on this day more people seemed to have attended. Other activities at Sunwork Soja include watching over the evacuees, maintaining the hygienic environment, dietary and health advise and support. There are 54 people from 20 households still living in this evacuation center.

AMDA’s relief work has been made possible thanks to its partner organizations and medical institutions. Many of them are part of AMDA’s Platform for the Great Nankai Trough Disaster in Japan, a disaster platform that enables the collaboration between AMDA, the public sector, medical institutions and private businesses.
    •  Emergency Relief
    •  GPSP Multi-National Medical Mission (Peace Building)
    •  Japan
    •  2018

 
 
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