vol.6Top Interview
Ishinomaki Hospital and Iwaki Yumoto Hospital have been completely restored
Our gratitude to everyone who provided support

Setsuo Takekawa, Chairman of Medical Corporate Body KEN-IKU KAI

We received encouragement from a great many people in the wake of the catastrophic
earthquake that damaged Ishinomaki Hospital and Iwaki Yumoto Hospital. I would
like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the many forms of warm support wereceived from not only people who currently have dealings with the Ken-Iku KaiGroup, but also former employees who are now retired, and people who had done
business with us in the past. The support the Group received gave tremendous
encouragement to not only our staff at the disaster-stricken sites, but also to allmembers of the Ken-Iku Kai Group. I am deeply grateful.
In the Ishinomaki area, in particular, we were provided with a great deal of help by Maeda Corporation and Toyota D&C Co., Ltd. forthe restoration of our buildings and facilities that suffered flood damage from the tsunami. Even though these companies themselvessuffered disaster-related damage at their place of business, they gave priority, amidst the chaos immediately following the disaster, tocarrying out work on our hospital, as facilities such as hospitals are needed to protect the lives of people. This action was of enormous
help to us.
At Iwaki Yumoto Hospital, in addition to the disruption of deliveries of supplies due to the spreading of harmful rumors, the watersupply was cut off, which brought about a critical situation with regard to securing drinking water. However, BECS Corporation Co.
Ltd. introduced us to Minato Transport Service Co., Ltd., which provided a water supply truck that transported 10 tons of drinking
water from the city of Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture to our hospital in the city of Iwaki. Minato Transport Service responded quickly to
our needs, making the long journey to transport water, even though the highways were in an impassable state. I am most thankful forthe help we received.
In addition, we received support in the form of supplies, messages of sympathy, and encouragement from a great many people. Although
I should call on everyone individually to convey my appreciation in person, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude here.
I would now like to provide you once again with a report on the situation regarding damage from the disaster, and the current statusof the restoration.
As reported in the media, the Ishinomaki area in Miyagi Prefecture suffered catastrophic damage. The flood water from the tsunami
reached the ceiling of the first floor of Ishinomaki Hospital. But in the 30 minutes between the time the earthquake struck and thetsunami swept into the area, the inpatients and outpatients were evacuated to the third floor or higher of the hospital, so there wereno casualties as a result of the earthquake or tsunami. However, immediately after the disaster occurred, not only electric power, gas,1and water supply, but also the distribution of goods was all disrupted. Although this created very difficult conditions for treating patients,
the tremendous support provided by a great many people spanning a broad range of related fields made it possible to keep the hospital open and continue giving medical treatment to inpatients and outpatients.
On the other hand, all of the medical apparatus, office equipment, and other instruments were completely destroyed by the flooding.
Two months have passed since the disaster, and recovery work on the buildings and facilities is progressing well, and things aregradually returning to normal. Because of the extent of the damage caused by the flood water from the tsunami, it will take quite a bitof time for the first floor of the hospital to fully recover. However, the functions for treating outpatients, which had been located on
the first floor before the tsunami, were relocated to the second floor to the space originally occupied by the nurses station, making it
possible to resume outpatient treatment from April 11. Furthermore, as there seemed to be no possibility that the city gas supply
would be restored in the foreseeable future, a temporary kitchen using an IH (induction heating) system and bathing facilities, bothof which run on electricity, were set up. This enabled the hospital to provide hospitalized patients with close to normal medical care.
At present, the hospital is carrying out its functions in two wards and operating at around 70 percent of its capacity during normal
times, but it has already resumed accepting new inpatients.
Among the Himawari home care services, which are facilities related to the hospital, the Day Service Center was inundated by waterfrom the tsunami to a waist-high level. However, the daytime users who were at the facility as well as all the staff on duty were evacuated safely. After repairs to the building were completed, the facility resumed its day care service on April 25. Furthermore, 21 vehicles
and 3 small motorcycles were sent from Tokyo to make it possible to resume home care visits, allowing services to be provided atnearly the same level as prior to the disaster.
Iwaki Yumoto Hospital, because it is located 47 kilometers south of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, has been able tocontinue providing medical treatment to its hospitalized patients, even after the disaster. However, on top of the water supply being
cut off, harmful rumors caused the distribution network to be disrupted, causing shortages in drinking water, medical supplies, andother goods needed by the hospital. However, as a result of the support that everyone has been providing, we have been able to secure
the delivery of drinking water and relief supplies to the hospital. At present, the hospital is already back to normal with regard toproviding medical care to its inpatients and outpatients.
Amidst extremely difficult conditions, the restoration of both hospitals to almost their original state, enabling them to function as
facilities capable of providing medical care, has been made possible by the support that everyone provided. I would like to once again
express my sincerest gratitude.

The road ahead is still a very long one, but we at the Ken-Iku Kai Group will come together as one and do our utmost to continue
contributing to those who are in need in the disaster-stricken areas.

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Scenes of Ishinomaki Hospital immediately after damage was incurred from the tsunami[Scene in front of Ishinomaki Hospital][Kitchen on the first floor]
The tsunami completely destroyed the kitchenequipment.

[The side of the building that faced the sea]
A huge pile of rubble that washed up against thefirst floor.

[Outpatient examination room andrehabilitation room on the first floor]
All of the medical equipment and fixtures weredestroyed by flood water from the tsunami.

[Condition of the street in front of thehospital]
A boat lying on its side, blocking the street.

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Scenes of current conditions at Ishinomaki Hospital[Hospital entrance]
The huge pile of rubble, which had been blocking the front entrance to the hospital immediately after the tsunami struck, has been clearedaway.

[Special bathroom and regular bathroom]
Since the outlook for the restoration of the gas supply was far from certain, an EcoCute system(electrically-powered natural refrigerant heat pump water heater) was installed. The bathrooms havebeen functional since mid-April.

[Kitchen on the fourth floor]
The kitchen, which had an EcoCute system and induction heater (IH) cookers installed, has been
operational since May.

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[Reception area, pharmacy, X-ray room, and hospital laboratory]
Acceptance of outpatients resumed on April 11.
The rooms on the second floor that had been used for inpatients are now being used as the receptionarea, pharmacy, X-ray room, hospital laboratory, etc.

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4

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1. Reception area
2. Pharmacy
3. X-ray room
4. Hospital laboratory
5. Examining outpatient5