Japan operating its biggest overseas medical mission in quake-hit Türkiye, says official

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan is operating its history’s biggest overseas medical mission in Türkiye hit hard by two massive earthquakes, a senior official from the country said.

“It is the first time for the Japanese government to set up Type-II hospital which among other capacities can conduct surgical operation and can accept patients for night stay,” Takeshi Ishihara, the leader of around 70 medical and paramedical Japanese staff, told Anadolu.

The classification of the field hospital was done by the World Health Organization.

Japan’s medical field camp began its operations last week in the Oguzeli district of Türkiye’s Gaziantep province – one of 11 southern and southeastern provinces hit by the Feb. 6 twin quakes which cause widespread devastation and resulted in death of over 43,500 people, according to official figures.

Ishihara, an official from Japan’s Foreign Ministry, said the Japanese medical team arrived in two groups on Feb. 13 and Feb. 15 when it started its operations.

The team, almost half of which are females, includes doctors, nurses, paramedics, and logistics staff.

“Our team carries medical supplies, drugs and can conduct X-ray scanning,” said Ishihara, adding it is self-sufficient and the field hospital is set up inside a tent.

Soon after the strong tremors shook Türkiye, Japan immediately sent search and rescue teams besides emergency aid to help in post-quake operations.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also spoke over the phone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week to convey condolences and express solidarity.

“Japan is going to provide emergency assistance on a scale of $8.5 million and additional provision of emergency relief goods for Türkiye,” Kishida told Erdogan.

Ishihara, who oversees medical assistance in Gaziantep, said: “Our medical team can provide consultation on chronic diseases and can also conduct dialysis.”

He added that the Japanese team is accepting “ordinary patients” including those suffering other problems.

The Japanese team has treated more than 600 patients so far, he said.

Ishihara said the Japanese field hospital is cooperating with the state hospital in the region which was also damaged in the strong tremors.

“When we need any equipment, the Turkish national hospital lends it to us and if they need anything, we do so … we are working in close cooperation,” said the Japanese official.

While the Japanese medical team continues to serve Turkish people, Ishihara said: “We have not decided how long our team will continue to provide medical services here. We will decide the date through consultation with Turkish authorities and based on the needs on the ground.”

A total of 28 countries have set up 31 field hospitals in southern Türkiye after powerful earthquakes shook the region earlier this month, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

More than 109,500 tents, 246 living containers, and 1,500 mobile hygiene units have been brought to Türkiye with the coordination of foreign representatives, according to a graphic the ministry shared on Twitter on Friday.

In-kind aid supplies delivered to the disaster zone include nearly 1.5 million blankets, along with over 211,800 sleeping bags, 80,800 beds, 26,600 generators, 5,900 tons of clothing, 3,200 tons of hygienic medical supplies, and 5,700 tons of food, it added.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 quakes, which were centered in Kahramanmaras, struck 10 other provinces — Hatay, Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Adana, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye, Sanliurfa, and Elazig. Some 13.5 million people have been affected by the devastating tremors.

Several countries in the region, including Syria and Lebanon, also felt the earthquakes that struck in the space of fewer than 10 hours.

Condolences have poured in from around the world, expressing solidarity with Türkiye, with many countries sending rescue teams and aid.