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Medical workers in 36-day sit-ins against cutbacks in medical services

As the ruling parties were intent on getting the bill to adversely revise the medical service system passed through the House of Councilors, public criticism and concern about the "reform" grew rapidly.

Calling for the bill to be scrapped, as of June 12, 642 medical workers in total have taken part in sit-ins conducted for 36 days since April 17 by the Tokyo Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions (Tokyo Min-Iren).

A social worker said, "A patient with an extremely high blood-sugar level refused to be hospitalized because of money shortage despite the danger of loss of consciousness and blindness. Another inpatient asked us to discharge him because he was worried about paying hospital fees."

Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member Takahashi Chizuko participated in the June 12 sit-in and said, "Under the mixed medical services provision included in the bill, differences in income will lead to differences in medical treatment."

At local public hearings on the bill, many speakers, including those who were recommended by the ruling parties, expressed criticism of and concern about the bill.

On June 12 at the hearing in Chitose City in Hokkaido, the bill's provision to cut long-term care hospital beds by 60 percent was under fire.

Horike Kiyoshi, a vice head of the Hokkaido Association of Medical Service for Workers, said, "The only hospital with long-term care beds in Nemuro City was closed down on the grounds that the hospital can no longer continue to operate due to a cutback in beds. This was a massive blow to Nemuro citizens. Thus, the bill destroys not only hospitals but also community healthcare services."

Horike also said, "Many senior citizens are forced to skip on medicines or meals to make up for increased medical expenses. I want Dietmembers to sufficiently discuss the bill in order to defend the fundamental human rights that the Constitution guarantees."
- Akahata, June 13, 2006