Kashima Hiospital of Iwaki Faced with New Needs Linked to Fukushima N-Plant Disaster (2)
The nuclear accident has not only threatened the health of residents in communities around the plant, but it has also stripped people engaged in farming and fishing in Fukushima of their jobs. These people have to fight against rumors that almost all products from the prefecture have been contaminated with radioactive substances.
The radioactive contamination is also a reason why children in Iwaki and neighboring areas are barred from playing outside. Places for children to play in have been newly opened at some sites. One of the rooms at a building that houses souvenir shops and tourism-related businesses in a seaside area in Iwaki was converted into a children’s playing place in November. With an admission fee of 100 yen, children and parents can play there.
The La La Myu play room attracts 400 to 500 visitors on weekends, said a room manager. The room was filled with children’ happy voices on a weekend day late February. Parents hope to see their children play under the sun again at the earliest possible time, but it is uncertain when such a day will come.
Some researchers have started studies about the influence of the radioactive contamination on children’s health and growth, but this is only for a monitoring purpose, Tago said. Full studies about how to protect their health have yet to start, he said.
“If people’s radioactive exposure level is to be fully examined, we need the so-called whole body counter system,” Tago said. The system is very costly and there are only five units in Fukushima, including two in Iwaki, he said. Schoolchildren in Iwaki have radiation level gauges suspended from their neck all the time.
Personnel working at sites near the damaged nuclear plant to prevent the radioactive contamination from spreading further have to receive medical checks every six months. If their radiation level is found to be higher than an allowable level, they are shifted to other workplaces. Kashima Hospital accepted a maximum 400 to 500 people for medical checks a month from working sites in an off-limits area near the plant last year.
A medical clinic was recently established for these workers at J-Village, the site which was previously occupied by sports facilities. The site, located near the off-limits zone, has been converted into a base camp for people working within the area. At a corner in the J-Village compounds was a complex of housing units for these people. Meanwhile, a checkpoint at a road leading to the J-village camp was in a tense atmosphere with a guard on the alert.
While spending busy days with his staff and having discussion with friends after his business hours about how to encourage the evacuees and other affected people, Tago also devotes his time to playing with his second son. The eight-year-old son was born 13 years after the birth of his first son. Tago calls his two sons as "angels." Despite the current hardship for people in Iwaki, he hopes that happy days will continue for his sons so that they may be able to peacefully plant seeds for their next generation.
The nuclear accident has not only threatened the health of residents in communities around the plant, but it has also stripped people engaged in farming and fishing in Fukushima of their jobs. These people have to fight against rumors that almost all products from the prefecture have been contaminated with radioactive substances.
The radioactive contamination is also a reason why children in Iwaki and neighboring areas are barred from playing outside. Places for children to play in have been newly opened at some sites. One of the rooms at a building that houses souvenir shops and tourism-related businesses in a seaside area in Iwaki was converted into a children’s playing place in November. With an admission fee of 100 yen, children and parents can play there.
The La La Myu play room attracts 400 to 500 visitors on weekends, said a room manager. The room was filled with children’ happy voices on a weekend day late February. Parents hope to see their children play under the sun again at the earliest possible time, but it is uncertain when such a day will come.
Some researchers have started studies about the influence of the radioactive contamination on children’s health and growth, but this is only for a monitoring purpose, Tago said. Full studies about how to protect their health have yet to start, he said.
“If people’s radioactive exposure level is to be fully examined, we need the so-called whole body counter system,” Tago said. The system is very costly and there are only five units in Fukushima, including two in Iwaki, he said. Schoolchildren in Iwaki have radiation level gauges suspended from their neck all the time.
Personnel working at sites near the damaged nuclear plant to prevent the radioactive contamination from spreading further have to receive medical checks every six months. If their radiation level is found to be higher than an allowable level, they are shifted to other workplaces. Kashima Hospital accepted a maximum 400 to 500 people for medical checks a month from working sites in an off-limits area near the plant last year.
A medical clinic was recently established for these workers at J-Village, the site which was previously occupied by sports facilities. The site, located near the off-limits zone, has been converted into a base camp for people working within the area. At a corner in the J-Village compounds was a complex of housing units for these people. Meanwhile, a checkpoint at a road leading to the J-village camp was in a tense atmosphere with a guard on the alert.
While spending busy days with his staff and having discussion with friends after his business hours about how to encourage the evacuees and other affected people, Tago also devotes his time to playing with his second son. The eight-year-old son was born 13 years after the birth of his first son. Tago calls his two sons as "angels." Despite the current hardship for people in Iwaki, he hopes that happy days will continue for his sons so that they may be able to peacefully plant seeds for their next generation.
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