AMDA
AnnualReport2017

GlobalPartnershipforSustainable
Peace

What is GPSP? .............................................03
A. Peace Building …………………………….04
1. GPSP Multi National Medical Mission
1) Emergency Relief and Refugee Assistance2) Post Disaster Assistance3) Disaster Response Platforms
2. GPSP Soul and Medicine Program
B. Health Development ……………………...16
1. Primary Health
2. Medical Partnership
3. Medical Mission
1) AMDA GPSP Hospitals
C. Educational Support ……………………...24
1. Global Human Resources Development
D. Livelihood Support ...……………………..26
1. Organic Farming1

Global Partnership for
Sustainable Peace
In the spirit ofSogo-Fujo
相

互

扶

助

‘Sogo-Fujo’ is a cycle of giving and receiving, a traditional value
deeply rooted in the Japanese close-knit community life.

‘Sogo-Fujo’ is something we are all born with regardless of race, religion, andculture. We all have the desire to help others and to be of service to the community
we live in.
‘Sogo-Fujo’ creates a true partnership based on respect and trust for each other.
Human dignity and pride must be respected at all times, especially for people at thereceiving end of the assistance. People in need of help today may be the supportgivers of tomorrow.
‘Sogo-Fujo’ unites the world. We will never abandon each other as we are all
equally irreplaceable as a part of the wider global community. Each community with
its own culture and sentiments should be embraced as a powerful element forpeaceful coexistence of diversity and not as a dividing force.
AMDA advocates ‘Open Sogo-Fujo’, a universal foundation of peace, extending
mutual assistance across and beyond one’s community.

2What is GPSP?
In 2014, AMDA established a concept of a global
network

A.
Peace
Building

named,“GlobalPartnershipforSustainable Peace” (GPSP). The aim of thisnetwork is to promote the coexistence of diversity
which is virtually indispensable for world peace.

D.
Livelihood

C.
Educational

SupportSupport

Under

this

concept,

programs

have

been

developed beyond borders with the philosophy ofOpen Sogo-Fujo (which literally means “mutual
support/help” in Japanese), the universal value ofthe 21st century, as its main theme. The framework

B. HealthDevelopment

consists of four fields of activities, namely:A) Peace BuildingB) Educational Support

GlobalPartnership forC) Health DevelopmentD) Livelihood Support
AMDA defines peace as “today’s family life with hope for a

Sustainable

better tomorrow.” “Today’s family life” symbolizes a family

Peaceliving. The phrase “hope for a better tomorrow” points tocondition where one has sufficient food to maintain a decent
providing education to children. The said four fields of

GPSP activities have been set to abate conflict, disaster, and poverty, all of which areconsidered hindrances to attaining peace.
By involving governments, local public authorities, public interest groups, corporate enterprises,
and academia, AMDA hopes to enlighten the world with the concept of Open Sogo-Fujo torealize the coexistence of diversity. This is the end goal of Global Partnership for Sustainable
Peace.

3

A. Peace Building
1. GPSP Multinational Medical Mission
1) Emergency Relief and Refugee Assistance

Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Bangladesh
In response to the influx of Rohingya refugees seeking
asylum in the border areas of Bangladesh, AMDA
Bangladesh and AMDA Headquarters launched medical
relief at Kuthupalong Refugee Camp in the Ukhia district,
45 kilometers from Cox’s Bazar. Authorized by the
Bangladeshi government, AMDA Bangladesh has started
offering medical services after setting up a temporary
clinic on 22 October 2017.
Located at the main road of the camp, the clinic has been providing free treatment and medicine to4more than 100 patients per day. During open hours (9:00am to 2:00pm), the clinic is constantly
crowded due to the limited space. Many pregnant women and children are seen among the patientsthat were suffering from ailments including diarrhea, common colds, fever, injuries and burns.
According to the Ukhia District Authority, STDs and skin diseases have been increasing. The sanitarycondition in the camp is bad and basic medical care is scarce.

Peru Flood DisasterIn response to the floods and mudslides that struck
Peru in March 2017, AMDA sent two relief personnel(one doctor, one coordinator) to Lima, the capital, fromJapan. The disaster was caused due to torrential
downpours throughout the country which affected a
total of almost 800,000 people. The transportation
network was paralyzed and a number of schools andhealth facilities became dysfunctional. Lima suffered its
biggest flood disaster in history in which the river water flowed into the city. AMDA worked with alocal counterpart “Socio en Salud” to conduct medical relief in Leticia, Cajamarquilla and Batanes in
the Morropón Province in the Piura Region. At each location, the team saw patients who complainedof muscle pain, joint pain, headaches and other symptoms. The team was welcomed by the local
residents as there were no medical facilities in most of those areas. Road blockages also prevented
them from seeking medical help outside the region.

Garbage Dump Disaster in Sri Lanka
On 14 April 2017, on the day of Sinhala andTamil New Year’s Day, part of a garbage dump
in Meethotamulla, a suburban city adjoining thecapital Colombo, collapsed, affecting around
1,800 people. According to the Disaster
Management Center (DMC), 30 deaths, 8
missing persons and 11 injuries were reported.
A joint team comprised of AMDA Sri Lanka and the St. John Ambulance Colombo District organized
a medical camp at the Terrence De Silva School in Meethotamulla where the displaced weresheltered. Doctors and nurses from Colombo East Hospital helped with medical care and the joint
team visited and donated medication and food at the shelter. A group of visiting Japanese experts
assessed the extent of the damage and reported the findings to the President of Sri Lanka (His
Excellency Mr. Maithripala Sirisena).

5

Monsoon Flood Disaster in Sri
Lanka
In Sri Lanka, the monsoon in May 2017
became the country's worst torrential rainin 14 years, which brought severe
flooding across southwestern portions of
the nation. In response to the numerous
landslides induced by the rain, AMDA Sri
Lanka

immediately

dispatchedemergency relief teams to Ratnapura
where they closely worked with a local
fire brigade. Later, one relief personnel
from AMDA Headquarters joined the ground team to work in Ratnapura and Kalutara. At a small
village called Paradola, AMDA doctors and nurses were seeing patients amidst a power outage. Thisseemed to have put a lot of expectant mothers at ease.

Leyte Earthquake Medical Relief, Philippines
A mag. 6.5 quake that struck Leyte’s western region in
the early morning of 06 July 2017 displaced 59
households (197 people) which forced them toevacuate to emergency tents. On 28 July, the AMDA
team entered the Kananga district in the town of
Hiluctogan to organize emergency relief in cooperation
with a local counterpart. The joint relief team was alsojoined by personnel from Remedios T. Romualdez
Medical School Foundation and saw 233 people (129 adults and 104 children) who were sufferingfrom common colds, headaches, itchy skin, and backaches. The patients also received medicine.

Marawi Turmoil in Mindanao, Philippines
The armed conflict that put Marawi in crisis
since 23 May 2017 generated as many as
360,000 internally displaced persons. The
government issued Martial Law until the end of
December throughout the Mindanao region.
Having kept a close eye on the local situationfrom the onset of the strife, AMDA sent two
personnel to the Philippines to discusspossible refugee assistance in late July. Aftermaking a courtesy visit to the office of the6Cabinet Secretary of the President of the Philippines, the two entered Marawi to conduct relief
activities. At an evacuation center in Barangay Maya Christina run by Amai Pakpak Medical Center(APMC), they provided a set of crayons, drawing paper and coloring books to children as well as
donating medical supplies.

Floods in Nepal
The torrential rain since early August caused
floods and landslides in the southern part of
Nepal (Terai plains) which left substantial
damage to the area. At the request of thegovernment of Nepal, AMDA Nepal launchedrelief efforts in cooperation with afflicted
municipalities and local health offices. The
vicinities of two hospitals run by AMDA Nepal
in

Jhapa

and

Sunsari,adjacent

to thedistrict, were also affected by the floods.
Accordingly, AMDA Nepal sent a relief team to run a mobile clinic in five locations. Also, a medical
team from AMDA Siddhartha Children and Women Hospital (Butwal, Rupandehi) worked for fivedays in Nawalparasi, located six hours southwest of Kathmandu.

Floods in Northern Bangladesh
The torrential rain that struck South Asia in lateAugust 2017 also caused severe floods in the northof Bangladesh which resulted in 114 deaths withapproximately 7 million people being affected.
AMDA Bangladesh dispatched a medical team incooperation with Japan Bangladesh Friendship
Hospital and Society for Anti Addiction Movement(SAAM) in Kurigram and Gaibandha, the twoheavily-affected districts. The joint team provided
medical assistance for five days from 22-26 August.
Alongside medical activities (mobile clinic andprovision of medicine), the team provided supplies
such as drinking water, rice, potatoes, salt andbiscuits. The team also donated other relief goods
including matches and candles. Within in this period, about 3,480 households benefitted from therelief.

7

Floods in Bihar, India
In September 2017, AMDA conducted aid assistance in
response to the flood disaster in the State of Bihar, North
India. The joint team of relief personnel from AMDA Japan,
Gaya College and local collaborators visited the city ofSamastipur in the north to provide food supplies and daily
commodities. The staff from AMDA Japan had been
coincidentally visiting Bodhgaya for a project prompted by
AMDA Peace Clinic (specialized in maternal health services) based in the locality. The team provided
food supplies and relief goods to three villages in the Ganga Bandh district, Samastipur. 300 families
received a set of relief goods containing bread, jam, cookies, rice, sweets, as well as soap and abucket. Also among the items were candles and box matches to deal with the power outage.

Earthquake in Coastal Mexico
On 08 September 2017, a massive
earthquake with a magnitude of 8.1 hit
Mexico. The epicenter was in the Pacific
Ocean, 1,000km southeast of the capital.
The southern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca,
and Tabasco are located closest to theepicenter. In response to this catastrophic
quake, AMDA dispatched a doctor and anurse from Japan. After procuring relief
goods and medicine in Mexico City, thetwo (with a help of a local coordinator andTenrikyo

Mexicomembers)flew

toJuchitan, one of the most devastatedareas. Upon arriving in Juchitan, the teamconducted medical relief in local towns
including La Quinta and La Septima.

8

Earthquake in Central Mexico
Just after the earthquake hit thecoastal Mexico, another hugequake hit the nation’s central area.
AMDA sent a coordinator once
again to Mexico City to carry out
medical relief. Upon arriving in
Mexico City, the AMDA coordinator
met with a local partner, Tenrikyo
Mexico Office, to have a briefing
session for further assistance. The
disaster assessment revealed that
although regions around Mexico
City had not been seriously affected, the extent of damage due to the earlier quake in Oaxaca wasworsened by the earthquake that followed. Thus, the team flew to Juchitan to conduct follow-up
activities. As items such as diapers for both babies and adults, sanitary napkins and tarpaulins werein short supply, the team procured them in Salina Cruz before entering Juchitan. The team provided
relief aid at Coloniade 5 de Febrero, one of the impoverished areas, as well as at a local evacuation
center in La Novena Seccion.

Typhoon Urduja in the Philippines
On 16 December 2017, Typhoon Urduja, which
hit

Samal

in

centralPhilippines

causedextensive damage to the area. NDRRMC(National

Disaster

Risk

Reduction

andManagement Council) reported that over one
million people were affected by the disaster and
100,000 were forced to flee their homes. AMDA
dispatched a nurse and a coordinator to thePhilippines from Japan to work mostly in theseverely-affected Biliran region. The team distributed food items to approximately 700 households
in Cebu on 22nd of December. In the next two days, AMDA jointly worked with the Philippine Naval
Reserve Command and local partners, distributing packages to the affected people in eight districtsof Naval City, Almeria City and Biliran City. Despite such difficult circumstances, the local people
said, “Merry Christmas! Thank you very much,” after receiving the items.

9

Typhoon Vinta in the Philippines
In response to the devastating
typhoon that struck the wholeisland of Mindanao in thesouthern Philippines on 22
December 2017, AMDA senta team of relief personnel to
Cagayan

de

Oro

in

ProvinceofOriental.

Following

Tropical

Storm(Urduja),

the

the

MisamistheKai-tak

heavy

rain

caused by Typhoon Tembin(Vinta) that hit the Philippines
just before Christmas causeda heavy flood in the region, badly flooding the city downstream. On the 27th, AMDA team distributed
food and relief supplies with the Philippine Army to eight out of 10 areas in the city where proper aid
was not yet provided. According to the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development(DWSD), approximately 770,000 people living in 1,131 districts were affected, and more than
110,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes (as of 30 December 2017).

Mayon
Volcanic
Eruption
Medical Relief, Philippines
On 08 February 2018, in response to
the Mt. Mayon volcanic eruption in
Albay Province, South Luzon, AMDA
collaborated with Albay Medical
Society, Rural Health Unit of the
National Disaster Risk Reduction
andManagement

Council(NDRRMC), Bicol University and the
local chapter of Asian Medical
Student

Association(AMSA)

toprovide assistance on the ground. Toyota Vios Group also supported the mission. The joint teamcarried out medical relief in Camalig which is located 500 kilometers south of Mania, a city at thefoot of the volcano. At a local evacuation center, the team offered mobile clinic services and taught
the evacuees how to prevent themselves from various ailments in the midst of prolonged evacuation
life. The team also provided food supplies, as well as pails and soap to make up for the lack of cleanwater.
10

2) Post-Disaster Assistance
The Great East Japan Earthquake (2011~)

On 11 March 2011, an earthquake of unprecedented scale (mag.9.0) followed by a massive tsunami
wiped out the eastern part of Japan which resulted in 15,800 deaths and another 2,500 people
missing. AMDA launched emergency relief in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture on the following day thequake struck. Throughout the relief, AMDA sent 149 personnel to various locations. The emergency
relief went on until the end of April, followed by various post-disaster assistance activities, some ofwhich are still being continued to this day. More than six years on, the affected regions have entereda transitional phase where people have moved from make-shift residences to council housing or
new houses. The pressing issue for now is how to rebuild local communities that are facing the
problem of a dwindling population, which also implies that the overall manpower for thereconstruction of the region may be lacking.

Wheelchair Assistance for 2015 Earthquake in Central Nepal
The deadly earthquake (magnitude
7.8) that hit Nepal on 25 April 2015
left more than 8,500 people dead andover 22,000 people injured. It was theworst natural disaster to strike Nepal
since 1934. As many towns andvillages were flattened throughout
the country, AMDA commenced aMulti-national Medical Mission to
help numerous people who wereforced to flee their homes. Some of
the afflicted people were impaired by
the injuries they suffered. A Japanese physiotherapist residing in Nepal was asked to join AMDA’srelief effort in providing wheelchairs and other devices. Not only handling the logistics, he was also11

in charge of making some of the gear by himself. Ever since, he has been administering awheelchair-related project to help supply wheelchairs to those in need.

Acupuncture for Quake Rehabilitation – 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake, Japan
In response to the earthquake (mag. 6.4) that struck
Kumamoto, Japan on 14 April 2016, AMDA carriedout post-disaster relief in Mashikimachi, the hardesthit town in the area. AMDA’s activity hub was a local
elementary school (Hiroyasu Elementary School)
where more than 200 people sought shelter. Besides
providing medical services, what made AMDA’s
activities one of a kind was offering acupuncture to
the victims, and especially the staff at the city center
who were doing all they could to help the residents
despite the fact that they too were affected by thequake.

This

eventuallybecameeven

moremeaningful as the shelter life got prolonged. For the civil servants who had no time to rest for days
and months, the service soothed their bodies and minds.

Free Dental Mission in Haiti
On 03 February 2018, AMDA Haiti conducted
its annual dental mission in Fond-des-Negres,Haiti for the people living in the vicinity. The
patients came from nearby areas such as
Aquin, Marseillan, Pemele, Saint Lous duSud, Lacolline, Demustte, Didier, Lindor, andRiviere Sesche as well. Just as last year, it
was held at Bethel Clinic run by the Salvation Army. 42 patients came to receive dental treatment
and care, including oral examination, dental clean up, dental restoration, and tooth extraction. Oneof the staff, a dental student who took part in the mission, also gave guidance on how to protect
oneself from tooth decay and taught the patients how to keep their teeth clean.

123) Disaster Response Platforms
AMDA’s Platform for the Great Nankai Trough Disaster
The Japanese government predicts that an earthquake of immeasurable scale will strike Japan
along the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years. It is predicted that the quake will cause amassive tsunami that could devastate the southern coastline, resulting in over 300,000 deaths andtwo million buildings damaged. AMDA’s focus is on the Shikoku region (Kochi and Tokushima inparticular) given that, 1) access to the area will be difficult once the disaster strikes, and 2) aid
assistance is expected to be concentrated in Osaka and Nagoya as they are major cities with easy
access. By enhancing interactions between aid organizations, local governments and medical
institutions, the platform enables a swift response to the crisis and provides assistance in a timely
manner.

13

4th Post-disaster Acupuncture Training
Program
As it has been some time since acupuncture
was incorporated into AMDA’s relief efforts.
AMDA holds

anannualworkshopforacupuncturists who are keen to contribute to
the humanitarian cause by utilizing theirclinical skills. From 22-23 July 2017, AMDA
organized the 4th Post-disaster Acupuncture
Training Program in Okayama City with guest
lecturers who had taken part in AMDA’s relief
work. Among the panelists were Professor Kenji Imai of Teikyo Heisei University who explained thepracticality of acupuncture treatment in evacuation centers, as well as the team of AMDA
acupuncturists from Kumamoto who shared their first-hand accounts on the quake relief, to name afew. In one of the presentations, acupuncturist Kanako Sasaki who heads AMDA Otsuchi HealthSupport Center in Iwate, talked about the importance of seeing things through the eyes of patients.
Sasaki herself is a survivor of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 where she was saved
miraculously despite being swept out to the sea by the tsunami that struck the entire coasts along
the Tohoku region. On the second day, participants thoroughly discussed what can be done toimprove their service in the disaster locations.

The 4th Coordination Meeting for AMDA’s Platform for the Great Nankai Trough Disasterin Okayama, Japan
On

23

July

2017,

the

4th

Coordination Meeting for AMDA
Platform for the Great Nankai
Trough Disaster was held at the
Okayama International Center inOkayama, Japan. The meeting
focused on how much preparations
have progressed for the Nankai
Trough crisis. The current progress
was reported on all facets of the
Platform ranging from the structureof medical assistance to the current
stock of relief supplies. Participants shared new ideas on efficient disaster response including asimulation using a helicopter. A lively discussion took place in which all participants were eager toshare their views. 300-plus audience was mainly from the Platform’s participating organizations withsome being non-members that were keen to learn about disaster relief in general.
14

2. GPSP Soul and Medicine Program

AMDA believes that healing a human soul is essential to peace building.
To pay tribute to war victims, AMDA has held GPSP Soul and Medicine
Program in past battlefields around the world. The program has a two-foldpurpose: 1) to conduct a multi-religious memorial service to pay tribute tothose who suffered or died in conflicts and wars, and 2) to provide medical
services to present communities. In 2005, the concept was expanded toinclude natural disaster victims as a result of calamitous tsunami that hit
South Asia on 26 December 2004. Since then, AMDA has held a memorialservice in the locations where AMDA conducted emergency relief.

GPSP SMP in Mongolia 2017 (Gandan Monastery, Ulaanbaatar)
On 04 September 2016, the GPSP Soul and Medicine
Program in Mongolia was held for the ninth time tocommemorate the victims of the Battles of Khalkhyn
Gol which took place in 1939. The ceremony wasattended by both Mongolian and Japanese priests tooffer peace prayers for the realization of better world.
Regardless of what one’s race or creed may be,
AMDA is determined to spread the spirit of “Open
Sogo-Fujo”, a concept which embodies mutual
assistance in the most accessible manner.

15

B. Health Development

1. Primary Health Care
GPSP is promoting healthcare and awareness for people living in poverty or in places where
health literacy is low. AMDA’s primary healthcare brings people back to health in many parts of theworld where basic medical care is scarce. At the same time, GPSP is also active at educating
people about health which is indispensable for the prosperity of the entire community.

AMDA Peace Clinic, Bodhgaya, India
AMDA Peace Clinic in Bodhgaya (APC) has
been providing various community health andsocial development services to the people ofBodhgaya, especially in the Mastipur area,
since its launch in 2009. APC had initiallyprovided Ayurvedic treatment as its main
service. However, as needs from expectant
mothers were increasing in the locality, theclinic shifted its focus on maternal healthcare. Since 2014, APC has conducted a home visit programfor mothers-to-be, alongside an educational workshop on delivery and child-rearing. The clinic also
holds a dental checkup for local residents on a regular basis. APC has now taken root in thecommunity and is serving people by providing quality healthcare services to the impoverished.

16

Pakistan Home Health Education Program
The goal of this project is to improve hygieneand health in the remote areas of Pakistan byeducating pre-marital women. It is an attempt at
training these women to become peer healtheducators

in

their

own

communities.

(Funded/organized by AMDA, Chigasaki Chuo
Rotary Club (Japan), National Rural Support
Programme (Pakistan))

Health Promotion Activities in Cambodia
In cooperation with Provincial Health Department
of Tbong Khmom, AMDA Cambodia organizes aworkshop at the Center for Peer to Peer
Educators on HIV/AIDS. Aiming to promote
HIV/AIDS prevention, the effort is realized
through the network of peer educators and those
who are living with the disease. For this year’s
event, 60 people attended the workshop of which
50 of them were from the said network. The
gathering helps refresh their basic knowledge on
HIV/AIDS and encourage the patients to receive
the antiretroviral treatment on a regular basis.
The project is made possible thanks to thecontinued financial assistance from Yamaichi
Kanko, a Japanese travel agency that has longsupported this program. AMDA Cambodia also
runs a soccer club to encourage young people to take part in sport activities. Not only does it foster
healthy body and mind, it also allows to divert the youths from drugs, violence and other criminal
activities.

172. Medical Partnerships
Japanese Doctors’ Contribution to Regional Medicine in Rwanda
Under the subsidy of Okayama Prefecture, in September 2017, AMDA sent a group of Japanese
doctors to Rwanda to pass on their expertise in pediatrics, and transfer the school medical-checksystem standardized in Japan. This is part of Okayama Prefectural Government’s International
Contribution Project for Local-to-Local Technical Transfer, which, at this time, aims to transfer
Japanese medical expertise.

The doctors were sent to the western part of Rwanda and Kigali. At Umuco Mwiza School, theJapanese doctors conducted student medical examinations, and discussed how pediatrics canbe improved in Rwanda based on their assessment.

18

Training at Ulaanbaatar Emergency Service 103
From 09-10 September, Dr. Takushi Sato from
University of East Asia in Japan, held a two-day
seminar on emergency medicine in partnershipwith Ulaanbaatar Emergency Service 103. On
Day 1, about 100 officials and emergency doctors
from

Ulaanbaatar’s

20

Health-Department-

certified medical institutions participated in theseminar. At the beginning of the event, AMDA
was credited for helping to set up 103’s ER basewithin the Japan-Mongolia Friendship Hospital.
This allowed ambulances and doctors to always be on standby, and hence, technical exchange ofthis kind was considered to be something worth continuing with both parties’ contributions. Dr. Satobegan his lecture by introducing the history of disaster medicine in Japan, followed by the guidanceon external injury treatments. He also demonstrated thoraco
abdominal ultrasound examinations. On Day 2, Dr. Sato took himself to the field where he rode in
an ambulance with a local medical team to conduct practical training. Mr. Purevdash, the director of
103, expressed his deep gratitude to Dr. Sato’s contributions and AMDA’s support, hoping that thisproject will be continued next year as well. As a result, it was promised that this initiative will continue
until the summer of 2019 as a yearly event.

Endoscopy Training at Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences
Based on the partnership with Mongolian
National University of Medical Sciences,
AMDA held endoscopy training whichshowcased Japan’s cutting-edge medical
techniques, namely, endoscopic treatment
and examination. The two-day training
session(11-12September)

ended

successfully, receiving a fervent request to
have it made into an annual event. The
university is scheduled to establish an
endoscopy center at its hospital next year.
One of the officials said, “It is not exaggerating to say that we want him to visit us every month as
we still have a lot to learn from him.” Accordingly, AMDA promised the university to send Dr. Sato forthe endoscopy training every summer until 2019.

19

Medical Lecture for AMSA Mongolia Students
On 08 September, Dr. Sato held a lecture for
medicalstudents

emergency(AMSA

medicalreliefmembers)
aton

Mongolian

National University of Medical Sciences.
Based on his vast experiences in Afghanistan,
Sudan, Cambodia, Nepal, and Kumamoto,Japan, where devastating earthquakes struckin 2016, he emphasized the importance of theroles of doctors serving the affected. After thelecture, some of the students showed their
willingness to take part in volunteering overseas, which proved that the lecture raised their spirit as
future doctors.

Ultrasound Examination in Dambadarjaa
Japan-Mongolia Friendship Hospital teamed
up with a local family hospital to organize ahome-visit ultrasound examination program in
the Dambadarjaa district. The joint teamvisited three families in the area whose family
members had a potential abdominal problem.
Dr. Oyunchimeg who heads AMDA Mongolia
was impressed with the way the team handled
the examination, stating that Dr. Sato’s
instruction was already visible in their practice.

Training for Nepalese Doctor in Okayama, Japan (September-November 2017)
Under the subsidy of Okayama Prefecture, one
gynecologist from Nepal was invited to learn about
Japan’s medical technology. During her two-month stay,
she received training on gynecologic laparoscopy. She
was eager to take back what she learned to Nepal. The
doctor works for AMDA Damak Hospital, located 500 km
east of Kathmandu, the capital. From now on, it is hoped that people would no longer haveto travel to Kathmandu for advanced gynecologic treatment. She is determined to uplift theservices for pregnant women in Nepal and help transfer the expertise she attained to her
fellow gynecologists back home.
20

Endoscopy Training at AMDA Damak Hospitalin Nepal
AMDA sent Dr. Sato, a Japanese endoscopy expert,
to AMDA Damak Hospital in Nepal to organize apractical training session for the local doctors. Amongthe avid participants was a Nepalese doctor who
received training in Japan in 2016 under the subsidy
of Okayama Prefecture. The aim of this training was
to share and develop endoscopy techniques in thecity, which helps improve the quality of upper digestive tract examinations and other relevant tests.
During the session, the group saw 22 patients from ages 20 to 75 who had abdominal abnormalities.
Eight months later, endoscopic devices were introduced to the Damak hospital from AMDA
Headquarters which gave the Nepalese doctors more practical opportunities to hone their skills. It is
hoped that the hospital will become a hub for those who seek endoscopic examination in the locality.

3. Medical Mission
Free Cleft Lip & Palate Operation in Indonesia

For three years in a row, AMDA International teamed up with its long-time partner TaiwanIHA (Taiwan
International Health Action), to conduct Cleft Palate and reconstructive surgery free of charge in the
Bantaeng region of Sothern Sulawesi. Similar to the previous year, Noordhoff Craniofacial
Foundation (NCF) and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CGMH), both from Taiwan, also played amajor role in supporting the mission in Bantaeng. AMDA and TaiwanIHA have been collaborating on
various dental, cataract and cleft palate projects in many different countries such as Sri Lanka, India,
Turkey and Indonesia. AMDA Indonesia selected Bantaeng for this year’s mission in the southernpart of Sulawesi.

21

Orthoptic Medical Transfer in Mongolia
Since 2008, AMDA has provided eyecheckups for children residing in Ulaanbaatar
and its suburbs. The project aims to promote
the importance of institutionalizing eyecheckups for pre-school children in Mongolia.
In September 2017, AMDA held a yearly
checkupat

Guchin-Us

VillageinÖvörkhangai, an 11-hour drive from thecapital. (The program was supported byZinrui Aizenkai Mongolia Center.) The team,led by orthoptists from Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare in Japan, saw 113 people, 78 ofwhom were children aged 5 to 17. In acknowledgment of AMDA’s years of effort, the health ministryheld a press conference to announce the enactment of school eye-checkup institutionalization,
setting 15 September as “Children’s Eye Day”.

1) AMDA GPSP Hospitals
AMDA Damak Hospital (Nepal)
AMDA Damak Hospital is a
75-bedgeneralhospital,established in 1992 with thehelp of AMDA International
and the Damak Municipality.
In 1995, it became an
implementing
UNHCR,

partner

servingasofaprimary referral hospital for
Bhutanese refugees in addition to the local patients. By then, AMDA-Hospital became a popular
hospital in eastern Nepal that provides services, not only to the refugees and the locals, but also topeople from remote districts. The hospital provides services pertaining to anesthesiology, general
medicine, surgery, gynecology, radiology, pediatrics, orthopedics, ENT, dentistry, orthopedics, etc.
This hospital accepts medical students from different countries for learning opportunities.

22

Siddhartha Children and Women Hospital(Nepal)Siddhartha Children and Women
Hospital is a 100-bedded specialized hospitalfor women and children. It is close to Lumbini,the birth place of Lord Buddha. The name“Siddhartha” is the childhood name of Lord
Buddha. AMDA Nepal established this hospital
after signing a partnership agreement with themunicipality and the local chamber ofcommerce. This hospital also offers non-profit health care. The main hospital buildings wereconstructed with the financial support from the Japanese people.

AMDA Mechi Hospital (Nepal)
AMDA Mechi Hospital is located in the southeastern corner of Nepal. With the hope of improved
medical services in the area, a family donated their private land for the construction of the hospital.
The Embassy of Japan and a few other donors also provided assistance. Now, AMDA Nepal isoperating it as a general hospital with a capacity of 15 beds. The hospital now offers academic
training for paramedics (lab assistance) to enhance their services.

Japan Bangladesh Friendship Hospital

Japan Afghanistan Friendship Hospital

AMDA GPSP Hospitals Around the Globe-Siddharta Children and Women’s Hospital (Nepal)-AMDA Damak Hospital (Nepal)-AMDA Mechi Hospital (Nepal)-Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital (Bangladesh)-Japan-Afghanistan Friendship Hospital (Afghanistan)-Japan-Mongolia Friendship Hospital (Mongolia)

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C. Educational Support
1. Global Human Resource Development
AMDA Students ClubFounded in 1995, AMDA Students Club is a
student group that holds a meeting every monthtodiscuss

issuessuchasinternational

cooperation or disaster prevention. Comprisingsenior school students from Okayama and its
neighboring regions, the group carries out arange of activities from street fundraising to
exchange programs abroad.

AMDA Peace Building Programme in Sri Lanka

In 2017, members of AMDA Students Club visited Sri Lanka to partake in the AMDA Peace Building
Programme in Sri Lanka, a yearly event aimed at deepening the mutual understanding of students
from different ethnic and religious communities. Through sport activities as well as cultural andreligious exchange programs, children from Matale, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Japan worked
together in joint teams to foster friendship. While learning to respect the colorful ethnic backgrounds,
all of the participants realized that smiles are a common language that transcends unspoken barriers
that lay within. It is greatly hoped that they will strive to make a peaceful world,

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Student Internship

For 2017, one high school student from Singapore and one university student from Japan did aninternship at AMDA Headquarters in Okayama. Both were eager to dedicate themselves to the fieldof humanitarian assistance and hope to continue working or helping people as volunteers even after
their internships are over.

‘Kodomo Shokudo’ Support Platform
Literally translated “children’s cafeteria”, ‘Kodomo Shokudo’ isa voluntary-run canteen for children from single-parent families
or impoverished households that offers nutritional meals forfree or at a reasonable price. While similar facilities have been
set up around Japan one after the other, AMDA has been
supporting one location in Okayama by donating funds or
ingredients since December 2017.

2. Scholarship Programs
For many years, AMDA has supported students who are persevering difficult times following natural andman-made disasters. Until now, the beneficiaries of AMDA’s scholarship programs have been mainly
students who wish to pursue a medical career. In the GPSP framework, AMDA encourages its
international chapters and GPSP member-organizations to establish scholarship programs, preferably
self-funded. The GPSP network helps find donors and/or provide necessary support.

SUGANAMI Scholarship
SUGANAMI Scholarship was established in 2004 forcapable young medical and nursing students around theglobe who are in need of financial assistance to complete
their study.
(Suganami Scholarship Recipients in Mongolia)

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D. Livelihood Support
Organic Farming

AMDA Food Program"Food is the source of life" –This motto embodies the AMDA Food Program, which was launched inorder to spread organic farming in Asia. In 2011, AMDA opened AMDA Notoro Farm in Shinjo Village
in Okayama, Japan. The village enacted an ordinance called “Asian Organic Agricultural Platform
Promotion Act” in 2010. Likewise, another organic farm was launched in Malino in South Sulawesi,
Indonesia in February 2014. There, both Japanese staff and local farmers are working hand in hand
to uplift the level of agriculture in the region. While the program is providing Indonesian farmers withtraining opportunities in Japan, Japanese agricultural experts are regularly invited to Malino to give
guidance.
AMDA Livelihood Support Projects in Suripur, India
AMDA Peace Clinic in Bodhgaya (APC) has been providing various
community health and social development services to the people ofBodhgaya in the state of Bihar since its launch in 2009. As a part ofits livelihood assistance, AMDA recently built a bore well in thevillage of Suripur. The well was built to supply water to elderly
households and farms in the village. Similarly, Tasho Isshinji Templeof Nichiren Buddhism decided to offer a gathering place to local
residents where they can get together and offer prayers. Hinduism
is indeed the pillar of their daily lives and it was their ardent wish tohave a place where they could enshrine Durga, a Hinduist guardian
god that exorcizes evil. The idea came up during a discussion
between AMDA and the locals who wished to have such a facility.

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International Network of 32 chapters and 71 collaboratingorganizations around the world

International Chapters
Afghanistan
Albania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bangladesh
Bolivia
Cambodia
CanadaIndonesia
Kazakhstan
Korea
KosovoMalaysia
Mongolia
Nepal

SerbiaSingapore
Sri Lanka
Sudan
TaiwanUgandaVietnam

Colombia
GuyanaHaiti
Honduras
India

New ZealandPakistan
Peru
Philippines
Sakha RepublicZambiaAMDA Group (Japan)
AMDA MINDS, AMDA International Medical Information Center, AMDA Organization for Global
Assistance and Relief, AMDA Hyogo, AMDA Okinawa
Chapter, AMDA Kanagawa Chapter, AMDA Kamakura Club, AMDA Kochi Club,
AMDA Fukuyama Club, AMDA Tamano Club, AMDA Otsuchi Club, AMDA Kobe
Women's University Club, AMDA Takehara Club, AMDA Students Club

3-31-1 Ifukuchou, Kitaku, Okayama City,
Okayama 700-0013 Japan
TEL: +81-86-252-6051 FAX: +81-86-252-7717
E-mail: info1984@amdainternational.com
URL: http://en.amda.or.jp/
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