Medical care response in the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan - Research Paper Example

The resources that are available and put into place when a disaster occurs are dependent upon the planning that a nation does towards providing and services those in need when disaster has caused them injury, either in body or in property. During the earthquake on March 11, 2011, Japan was called upon to respond to the needs of its citizens in order to provide services and help those who are suffering from the consequences of the impact. Fortunately, Japan had prepared because of previous experiences that inspired the nation to work towards developing structural and social systems to prepare for those events that would occur.

Japan has a list of vulnerabilities for natural disasters that can monumentally affect the population and these experiences have inspired their efforts to be increased towards solving the problems that they now know can exist when disaster strikes a major urban area. The health care system is one of the major systems that must be prepared for disasters that can occur in urban developments. If the health care system is not set up to respond quickly and efficiently with planned structures and systems put into place, the population will suffer and casualties will be much higher than they would if the system has not been efficiently designed.

As much as the design must be well organized, so must the methods of response. The following paper has been researched towards understanding the successes and failures in the Japanese health care system as it is prepared for disaster management when a catastrophic natural disaster hits an urban area. Through specifically researching the methods and efficiencies that were experienced in the response to the March 11, 2011 earthquake, this paper will examine real life results of. The events of March 11, 2011 were well improved when compared to those of 1995, although the magnitude and the inclusion of the nuclear plant damage has made this a far worse disaster.

The methods used in disaster management in deploying aid and rescue towards medical treatment provided a stronger response, although the disaster was so large that the response did not necessarily seem more efficient to those involved. The single biggest issue that still is of great concern in any disaster that occurs is in getting to those who are in need, and continuing to be able to send aid via access when food, water and other necessities are still not readily available to the populations that are affected.

While the plans and the changes have addressed the issues that were brought to light during the 1995 event, access is still an issue that has yet to be solved. The effect of disaster can drag out for months, even years. In fact, it is estimated that it will take ten years for Japan to rebuild from the effects of this single event. The nuclear plant disasters that are associated with the event. In addition to the devastation that is based upon physical losses, economic and political losses are also being experienced as dissatisfaction with the state of the nation are translating into effects in other aspects of the social framework.

The banks are suffering from problems due to the losses to the infrastructure that is inhibiting growth and the yen has fallen in value. In addition, the political fallout has landed on Prime Minister Naoto Kan as his approval rating is now at 17.1%. Because the disaster perpetuates disaster, a ripple effect occurs over all of the institutions of a government during a major disaster.