Japan Transfers Patients from 40 Waterless Hospitals After Kumamoto Quake

Japan is transferring patients from 40 medical facilities that remain without water following a major earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture ^[1].

These transfers are critical to ensure patient survival and the continuity of medical services in a region where infrastructure failure has rendered many clinics and hospitals unable to operate.

Health Minister Ueno met with Kumamoto Governor Kimura to coordinate the emergency response after a quake with a maximum intensity of seven struck the region ^[1]. According to official data, a total of 66 medical institutions were affected by the disaster ^[1]. Of those, 40 facilities are currently experiencing ongoing water outages ^[1].

Because these facilities cannot maintain sanitary standards or operate essential equipment without water, the government has initiated the transfer of patients to functional hospitals. Ueno said, "We are carrying out the transfer of patients from hospitals where the continuation of medical care has become impossible."

The ministry is prioritizing the movement of critical patients to ensure that life-saving care is not interrupted by the lack of utilities. Ueno said, "We will proceed with support for the affected medical institutions with safety as the first priority."

Local authorities are continuing to assess the damage to water mains and hospital infrastructure to determine how many facilities can be restored. The coordination between the national health ministry and the prefectural government aims to stabilize the healthcare network before further aftershocks occur.