Hokkaido power outage due to the seismic intensity 7 earthquake, threatened the lives of patients who are suffering from symptoms to be treated at home. Hospitals as a base at the time of a disaster can not do medical treatment as usual, have had a big influence on medical scene. How can we prepare to protect our lives and health?

Sapporo city east district observed seismic intensity less than 6. Yoshiko Kamiguchi (54), who has a progressive difficulty suffering from respiratory failure, witnessed a sudden shake on her nursing bed at home.

I usually inhale oxygen from my nose through a tube from an oxygen concentrator that runs on a household power supply. However, it can not be used if there is a power outage. I decided to switch to an oxygen cylinder unnecessary for power supply.

I was out of power for a while. One bottle is 300 liters. In the case of Mr. Kamiguchi, when I sleep, I use 2 liters of oxygen per minute, and consumption increases as I walk. I spent an uneasy evening in bed so as not to consume oxygen as much as possible.

Fortunately, in the morning, a phone call came from a supplier who supplies bottles and maintains and inspects equipment. "Is there enough of a cylinder?" Explaining the current situation, "I am already in front of the house." It immediately delivered an additional bottle. In the afternoon blackouts also resolved.

Air gas (Osaka city), a leading provider of tanks used by Mr. Kamiguchi, a leading industrial gas company, has continued to support patients during disasters. However, due to the power outage the factory in the province will not be able to produce or replenish the gas, it will send about 400 oxygen cylinders from Honshu. Teijin Pharma (Tokyo), who experienced sending nearly 20,000 oxygen cylinders to the afflicted area during the Great East Japan Earthquake, said it would send about 3,500 bottles to Hokkaido.

Mr. Kamiguchi is said to be "saved" in response to this dealer. I also felt uneasy yet. "What if the trader or home were affected, how was it?"

Patients who underwent dialysis with heavy kidney disease also had an effect. Because dialysis requires electricity and a lot of clean water. According to the Japanese Society of Dialysis Medicine, the number of artificial dialysis patients in Hokkaido is 10,432 (as of December 2016).

At that time, H · N · Medic Shin Sapporo (Sapporo City Atsubetsu Ward) where there were 164 dialysis patients was unable to generate in-house power generation, and the water only got out intermittently. The hospital staff worked diligently to allow patients who need to undergo dialysis frequently to receive dialysis at another hospital where electricity was passed.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there were 42 medical institutions affected by dialysis, as of noon on 7th. Due to the resolution of power outages, etc., it is decreasing. However, Tamayuki Yamakawa, Managing Director Tomoyuki Yamakawa, Managing Director of Nippon Dialysis Medical Association, said, "There are patients who have their original dialysis intervals shifted or the time taken for one dialysis has been shortened.If there are no arrhythmias or heart failure, We need to look carefully. "

Earthquakes caused a power outage at the disaster site hospital that accepts people who were seriously injured in the event of a disaster or those who were killed, such as dialysis patients. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, as of 3 pm on Sunday, all 34 facilities in Hokkaido suffered a blackout. He continued his clinical practice with the in-house power generator operated. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare arranges fuel supply to hospitals with fuel shortage through the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and arranges power vehicles to hospitals without in-house power generation equipment.

One of disaster hospitals, Takeikeikei Hospital in Sapporo Municipal Ward (670 bed) also suffered a power outage shortly after the earthquake. I activated the in-house power generator and responded. Based on the business continuity plan (BCP) at the time of disaster, we tried to determine the priority of treatment. We stopped accepting patients who had reserved, and postponed operation with less urgency. In addition to emergency patients, we accepted hundreds of patients who were unable to receive dialysis at other medical facilities.

36 hours of fuel was prepared for in-house power generation. Assuming the power outage will be prolonged, I ordered fuel for refueling, but arrival was delayed. Electricity supply returned at 6 p.m. 6 pm, and it became possible to do all medical treatment as usual.

A spokesperson at the hospital said, "Despite being unable to undergo consultation, most patients understood their situation and were cooperative. In a serious situation of all-way blackouts, acceptance of emergency patients and dialysis patients We were able to fulfill our role as a disaster hospital based on prior planning. "

Tomakomai municipal hospital (382 bed) of a disaster hospital near Mutsumacho where landslide occurred immediately failed and switched to emergency power supply. The surgery which was originally scheduled is postponed. I canceled the reception of outpatients and took steps to prepare for sudden illness.

However, the number of visiting patients stayed at about 40 people, and the posture was canceled at 2 pm on 6th. The external power source also recovered around 7 pm and began accepting outpatients from the 7 th. Mr. Kiragi, the deputy chief of the affairs department, said, "The most concerned was the power supply, but there was not much confusion."

Disaster base hospitals are 731 hospitals nationwide. Ability to respond to a large number of patients at the time of a disaster is required, in addition to the earthquake-resistant structure of the facility, private power generation of about 60% of the generation capacity at normal times, water reservation by wells that can be used even at the time of power outage and the like are required .

However, at the time of a large-scale disaster such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Kumamoto earthquake, disaster hospitals were also affected, leaving a challenge to ensure the safety of water, food, medicines, staff and patients. Last year, Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare added maintenance of business continuity plan to requirement of disaster hospital so that clinical functions can be recovered shortly after the disaster. We are seeking formulation by March 19.

Daily preparation is important

Toshitaka Katada of Todoroki University, University of Tokyo Disaster Information Research Center, Tokyo, said, "Although the afflicted areas of the earthquake were local, the influence of the whole area of ​​the province has been extended for a long time.The vulnerability of a huge system that emphasizes efficiency and economy, The sex is revealed. " After the power outage, medical institutions responded with in-house power generation. However, there was concern that fuel would run out. Mr. Kataida's attention is a mechanism that utilizes renewable energy and others to self-sustain electricity in the region. "We need to keep everything on a single electric grid and make important functions such as hospitals be maintained in the region," he said.

What can you do at home? If you are doing oxygen therapy at home, you should be prepared to assume that a power outage will continue in addition to stockpiles such as general water, food and medicine.

If the equipment used for oxygen therapy has no battery inside, the machine stops as the power failure occurs. For this reason, check if there is a battery beforehand, if not, switch to an oxygen cylinder that does not need power. For ventilator, preparation of external power supply such as dedicated battery is recommended.

Mr. Tatsuya Morita, Vice President Tatsuya Morita, who compiled "Preparing for Large Scale Disaster" as a research team of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for people receiving home health care, said, "What kind of preparations should be taken and how to respond when a disaster occurs? Talking with people and medical staff from us usually helps in case of emergency. "