Radiation victims to be sent to key medical facilities across Japan
Mar. 28, 2011
The Japanese government plans to send people exposed to high-level radiation to key hospitals across the country if the number of such victims tops the 100 mark in the aftermath of the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, government and medical sources said Friday.
The government came up with the plan as the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, one of the country's two specialized radiation research centers, cannot handle such a large number of radiation victims at once, the sources said.
Currently, the government designates the National Institute of Radiological Sciences as an emergency medical facility for radiation victims in eastern Japan and Hiroshima University in western Japan.
On top of the two, medical facilities that can offer emergency treatment to radiation victims are set up in 19 out of the country's 47 prefectures where nuclear power facilities are located.
The government plans to decontaminate radiation victims on the spot and send them to the National Institute of Radiological Sciences if the number of victims is limited to tens.
It plans to transfer victims to Hiroshima University and key university as well as core hospitals across the country if the number tops 100.
The government is considering using Self-Defense Forces helicopters and motor vehicles to transfer such radiation victims to medical facilities across the country, the sources said.
Three workers who were exposed to radiation at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant are scheduled to receive treatment shortly at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences which is located in the city of Chiba east of Tokyo.
The government will seek help from university and core hospitals across the country to treat workers of plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. and its subcontractor firms, firefighters and SDF personnel if they were exposed to high-level radiation. Immediate treatment is required for workers, firefighters and SDF personnel who are exposed to radiation exceeding 250 millisieverts, the sources said.
The government sets the upper limit of radiation for workers at nuclear power plants at 50 millisieverts per year and 100 millisieverts in five years. In case of an emergency, the limit can be raised to 100 millisieverts.
The government raised the limit to 250 millisieverts this time to cope with the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant which was crippled by the March 11 killer earthquake and tsunami.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on March 26, 2011)
The government came up with the plan as the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, one of the country's two specialized radiation research centers, cannot handle such a large number of radiation victims at once, the sources said.
Currently, the government designates the National Institute of Radiological Sciences as an emergency medical facility for radiation victims in eastern Japan and Hiroshima University in western Japan.
On top of the two, medical facilities that can offer emergency treatment to radiation victims are set up in 19 out of the country's 47 prefectures where nuclear power facilities are located.
The government plans to decontaminate radiation victims on the spot and send them to the National Institute of Radiological Sciences if the number of victims is limited to tens.
It plans to transfer victims to Hiroshima University and key university as well as core hospitals across the country if the number tops 100.
The government is considering using Self-Defense Forces helicopters and motor vehicles to transfer such radiation victims to medical facilities across the country, the sources said.
Three workers who were exposed to radiation at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant are scheduled to receive treatment shortly at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences which is located in the city of Chiba east of Tokyo.
The government will seek help from university and core hospitals across the country to treat workers of plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. and its subcontractor firms, firefighters and SDF personnel if they were exposed to high-level radiation. Immediate treatment is required for workers, firefighters and SDF personnel who are exposed to radiation exceeding 250 millisieverts, the sources said.
The government sets the upper limit of radiation for workers at nuclear power plants at 50 millisieverts per year and 100 millisieverts in five years. In case of an emergency, the limit can be raised to 100 millisieverts.
The government raised the limit to 250 millisieverts this time to cope with the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant which was crippled by the March 11 killer earthquake and tsunami.
(Distributed by Kyodo News on March 26, 2011)
