Medical practitioners demand that Tokyo keep three children’s hospitals open

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Medical practitioners demand that Tokyo keep three children’s hospitals open

The Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association consisting of more than 5,000 private-practice doctors in Tokyo is demanding that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government revoke its decision to shut down three metropolitan hospitals for children.

Ogawa Toichi, deputy secretary-general of the association, on November 16 made representations to all political parties in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly and handed them a statement demanding the continuation of the three hospitals of Kiyose, Hachioji, and Umegaoka.

The statement stresses the need to improve medical-care systems for children, including perinatal care, in order to appropriately respond to pediatric emergencies and the current epidemic of influenza infections. It also requires a solution to the shortage of newborn intensive care units (NICU).

It proposes that funds reserved for hosting the 2016 Olympic Games be used to increase the budgets for the NICU which posts a deficit of about 7.5 million yen per bed a year.

Receiving the statement, Japanese Communist Party member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Yoshida Nobuo said, “The JCP will continue our all-out efforts to defend the three hospitals.”

- Akahata, November 17, 2009