The 3rd Annual Meeting of Society of Disaster Medicine and Public Health（2017/9/27-29）
Topic: Global Health Security
Venue: Marriott at City Center Newport News (U.S.A>)

On Sep. 27-29, the 3rd Annual Meeting of Society of Disaster Medicine and Public Health(SDMPH) was held in Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A. SDMPH is aiming to the multidisciplinarysociety with medical, nursing, veterinarian, dental, scientists, private sectors, military and civil
collaboration.
The State of Virginia is a leading state to promote the disaster resilience among the nation. The
reasons are not only 911 terrorist attack, or hurricanes, but the large naval base made the citizens
highly aware of saving life activity. The local health authorities are also actively promoting thedisaster medicine. After 911, every state implemented the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and theVirginia MRC is the leading level among the states.
In Sep. 2017, Category 5 level hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria attacked the Caribbean Islands
and the Bay area. State of Texas were prepared to install huge evacuation center andaccommodated 3800 affected people. The United States are also facing the aging of society andthe medical needs are not only injury, but non-communicable disease, mother and child health andmental health. The clinic in the huge evacuation center and dealt with various medical needs thatwas remarkably successful.
Number of participants were deployed to the rescuing activities to the Hurricane Maria affected
Puerto Rico, in which most of the building lost the roof and the power supply for the hospitals. The
meeting participants had an opportunity to get on board to the Hospital Ship Comfort that was in
the preparation phase of deployment to Puerto Rico.
The Comfort has 250 ward beds, 15 operating rooms, 40 ICU beds, 90 crew members and morethan 1,000 medical staffs. It has all regular tertiary hospital functions except the fine brain surgery.
Comfort can be self-standing for more than 30 days without supply of fuel, food and medicine. It
had been deployed to many humanitarian missions in all over the world. It also contributes to theimprovement of public health in the destinies.
The Captain of the Ship and Medical Director guided us all the facilities and we encounteredyoung soldiers and staffs checking in. The ship was departing the next day and will arrive to Puerto
Rico in 4 days. They were expecting to stay about 3 weeks in the mission.
It will take a long time to recover and build the health care system better in Puerto Rico eventhough it is a U.S. Territory. Disaster risk reduction is closely related with development.
Prof. Shinichi Egawa (Disaster Medical Science Division of IRIDeS) made a lecture entitled“Health Security in Pacific Basin”. He mentioned about the Sendai Framework, Sustainable
Development Goals and Climate Change Adaptation Framework. The lecture also included the ongoing ARCH project in ASEAN Countries to implement the disaster medical systems in ASEANCountries. Prof. Egawa stressed the importance to promote the public health so that healthlongevity correlates with the disaster risk reduction.
The impact of natural hazard, possibility of conflict and civil unstable is increasing. Hazard isbecoming more and more complicated and its damage can be more complex. We have tounderstand that many of the emerging infectious disease is zoonosis and the acute impact ofnuclear detonation is thermoblast injury rather than acute radiation effect so that many people canbe saved by appropriate medical response. Significant decrease of critically important structure
including hospitals is one of the seven targets of Sendai Framework. National Science, Engineeringand Medical Association recommends the implementation of disaster risk reduction in the researchlaboratories in order to avoid the loss of precious data and resources. DRR is not a problem ofothers, we have to do this as day-to-day practice.
Shinichi Egawa (Disaster Medical Science Division)(continues to the next page)Prof. Shinichi Egawa lecturing onDallas Convention Center in preparation of 5000

“Health Security in Pacific Basin”

beds for the affected people in Hurricane Harvey.

Layout of clinic in the evacuation center

Captain explains the hospital ship
and the on-going mission.

Hospital Ship Comfort is in preparation for
deployment to Puerto Rico

Admission Room for the patients.
Every items are fixed to the floor andthe bumps to avoid bloods to spread on the floor

Multiple equipment for laparoscopic and general
One of the four ICU rooms are isolation room

surgeries are provided and fixed to the floor.

for infectious disease.

The sterilization is always available to continuously
provide surgical care.

The Comfort Missions.

Young soldiers checking into the Ship.