The Japanese government will introduce a training program next fiscal year for doctors and nurses working on government-managed hospital ships deployed during major disasters. The initiative aims to familiarize medical personnel with the unique conditions aboard these vessels in advance, with operations set to begin in January.
Hospital ships will be dispatched to ports near disaster-stricken areas to treat the injured on board and transport patients to medical facilities outside the affected zones. The government initially plans to charter private-sector car ferries for these operations, aiming to sign contracts with shipping companies by the end of this year.
The ship's interior differs from a typical hospital, featuring many turns and narrow passageways that alter medical personnel's movement patterns. The storage capacity for medicines and equipment is limited, requiring careful and efficient use during treatments. To address these challenges, the government has decided to establish a specialized training system for hospital ship duties.
Trainees will be solicited from nationwide Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) and emergency medical aid teams of the Japanese Red Cross Society. The government plans to expand the number of participants over the next four to five years. By registering a substantial pool of trained medical workers in advance, it aims to enable rapid deployment of hospital ships whenever a disaster strikes.
Demands for such vessels grew following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, legislation was passed to promote the use of hospital ships. A 2020 fiscal year estimate pegs the cost of building a new ship with 500 inpatient beds at about ¥43 billion. For now, the approach involves chartering ferries and paying usage fees during disasters, with tents equipped as hospital beds set up on vehicle decks. In the future, the government intends to acquire its own dedicated hospital ships.