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

Since 2 January, AMDA has been carrying out relief work in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, located on Japan’s Noto peninsula that was devastated by the magnitude 7.6 quake on 1 January. (Please refer to the preceding bulletins for the details thus far.) 

On 6 January, the team of medical personnel from Suwa Central Hospital, AMDA’s disaster-relief partner, visited local evacuation centres, namely, Mitsui Community Center (72 evacuees) and the Kawarada ceremony hall (101 evacuees), to organize needs assessment and mobile clinic activities. The assessment revealed that some evacuees had to be transferred to an appropriate evacuation facility that could respond to people with disabilities and those that required nursing care.   

On 7 January, the team of medical personnel from Suwa Central Hospital (AMDA’s disaster-relief partner) carried out needs assessment and mobile clinic activities at local evacuation shelters, namely, Ohya Elementary School (approximately 300 evacuees) and Ohya Community Center, in Wajima. Besides referring some patients to hospitals, the team gave hygiene guidance as cases such as diarrhea were seen among evacuees.

Meanwhile, AMDA’s second team (one doctor and one nurse) that left AMDA Headquarters on 6 January arrived in Wajima on the afternoon of the following day. Upon arrival, the team dropped by Wajima Hospital and the local city office for information gathering, and joined forces with the preceding team from Suwa Central Hospital later on.

On 8 January, AMDA will be sending the third team (one doctor, one nurse, and one pharmacist) also to Wajima.