title: Care of children in a natural disaster: lessons learned from the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami.
abstract: The Great East Japan earthquake was one of the most devastating natural disasters ever to hit Japan. We present features of the disaster and the radioactive accident in Fukushima. About 19,000 are dead or remain missing mainly due to the tsunami, but children accounted for only 6.5% of the deaths. The Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons set up the Committee of Aid for Disaster, and collaborated with the Japanese Society of Emergency Pediatrics to share information and provide pediatric medical care in the disaster area. Based on the lessons learned from the experiences, the role of pediatric surgeons and physicians in natural disasters is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Nara Hospital, Kinki University School of Medicine, 1248-1 Otuda-Chou, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0293, Japan, yonekura@nara.med.kindai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yonekura
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwanaka
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D012066:Relief Work / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057192:Tsunamis