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Global responsibility in mass casualty events: The Israeli experience in Japan

Ofer Merin, MD, Nehemia Blumberg, MD, David Raveh, MD, Ariel Bar, MD, Masafumi Nishizawa, MD, Ophir Cohen-Marom, MD

Abstract


Objective: To describe humanitarian aid following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Setting: A field hospital deployed in a small Japanese coastal village devastated by a major tsunami.
Patients: Thousands of Japanese refugees with minimal access to medical care.
Results: After well-coordinated diplomatic efforts, our medical delegation was the first foreign team to deploy in Japan. Our facility served as a regional referral center for specialized medical treatment.
Conclusions: Following major disasters, even highly modernized countries will face an urgent surge in the need of medical resources.These situations emphasize the need for global responsibility to provide assistance.


Keywords


earthquake, tsunami, mass disaster, humanitarian aid

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References


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Afshar M, Raju M, Ansell D, et al.: Narrative review: Tetanus-a health threat after natural disasters in developing countries. Ann Intern Med. 2011; 154(5): 329-335.

Christodouleas JP, Forrest RD, Ainsley CG, et al.: Short-term and long-term health risks of nuclear-power-plant accidents. N Engl J Med. 2011; 364(24): 2334-2341.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2012.0081

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