パートナー団体活動状況（4）特定非営利活動法人アムダ Report from the partner organization (4): AMDA
HOPE FOR JAPANのパートナー団体である、現地で緊急救援活動を展開する特定非営利活動法人アムダより、活動報告が届きました。
写真提供：AMDA (Photo provided by AMDA)
AMDA, one of HOPE FOR JAPAN’s partner organizations, sent report to us about the situation in the disaster stricken area and their support operation.
[Chronological Outline of Activities since 11th March]
【3/11】Great Eastern Japan Earthquake occurred and AMDA immediately decided on sending medical team learning its magnitude and devastating impact of following Tsunami.
【3/12】First medical team from AMDA departed, arrived in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture and started operation.
【3/15】Leaving some member of medical team in Sendai, the rest moved to Kamaishi City and Otsuchimachi in Iwate Prefecture and started operation there.
【3/19】Upon the request from Minami Sanrikucho in Miyagi Prefecture, AMDA sent medical team and its operation is still continued. The teams sent to Sendai and Kamaishi have already completed operation there and moved to Otsuchimachi and Minami Sanrikucho respectively. AMDA organizes medical team in accordance with the needs from the evacuating people and report from the staff operating in the disaster stricken area. So far it has sent 20teams, 121 people in total. The breakdown of the members is 44 doctors, 23 nurses, 3 birth attendants, 3 pharmaceutical technicians, 42 coordinators, 2 psychotherapists, 2 assistant nurses and 2 care staff.
At the same time, AMDA also delivers supplies to the people in the disaster stricken areas. AMDA, upon the request from the teams operating in the field, purchases necessary items with donation from AMDA supporters, rents trucks and delivers them. As of 8th April, 6 liners have been sent. Items distributed include medical goods, charts, sonograms, cardiography equipments, batteries, foodstuffs, daily supplies, rice, vegetables, stationeries, bicycles, washing machines and computers.
[Detail of operation]
The team is conducting medical care in shelters and also operating traveling clinic for people in small shelters and their own houses.
In the first phase, they apprehended the prevalence of influenza but with life in shelters prolonged and the hygiene status deteriorated, Norovirus is starting to break out. AMDA medical team is attempting to prevent the prevalence by sensitization on Norovirus and cleaning of the shelters in tandem with the medical services. AMDA also sends psychiatrists and nurses since mental problem of some people in shelters has worsened due to the mental and physical fatigue. Also acupuncture treatment is provided by qualified medics and appreciated by elderly people. The team also delivers supplies when they operate traveling clinic.
The team also attempts to fill the non-medical needs such as setting partitions in the shelter and operating with trucks that people can receive medical examination in a separate room to maintain privacy.
[Outlook of the operation]
AMDA is looking toward the phase of reconstruction assistance with almost one month past since the earthquake. The planned activities include support for education such as sending stationeries and school bags, support for local doctors to reconstruct the local medical care system and foundation and provision of scholarship for local high school students.