Japanese Surgeon Recounts Myanmar Quake Relief Mission; Extreme Heat, Sudden Storms Complicated Treatment

By Masashi Morimoto / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

20:00 JST, April 30, 2025

In the face of scorching heat and a severely challenging environment, a Japanese disaster relief team provided medical care to about 100 people a day in Myanmar following the powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the country’s central region on March 28.

The first Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) team, which returned to Japan in mid-April, included Ryohei Kosaki, a trauma surgeon from the National Hospital Organization Disaster Medical Center in Tachikawa, Tokyo. Kosaki later reflected on the team’s challenging mission amidst intense heat.

The initial deployment, consisting of 32 medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, departed from Haneda Airport on April 2.

Their mission in the disaster-stricken region near the Mandalay epicenter lasted from April 4 to 14, when they handed over operations to the second team.

They traveled about 600 kilometers from Yangon, the largest city, via Naypyitaw, the capital, using two buses and six trucks to transport 10 tons of equipment, including medical devices.

They faced extreme heat upon arrival, with temperatures reaching 40 C on their first day and remaining above 35 C in the following days, Kosaki said.

Collapsed buildings remained in the area, and a medical tent was set up in the courtyard of Mandalay City Hall. Medical supplies airlifted by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force arrived during their mission. Water purified by a water purification system brought from Japan was used for treatment.

A steady stream of injured people sought aid at the medical tent. “Initially, we saw many patients with fractures and trauma, but as time went on, an increasing number presented with preexisting conditions,” Kosaki noted.

There were physical injuries from falling debris and falls. Some patients also reported insomnia and anxiety as a result of aftershocks.

While local hospitals performed surgeries, the first JDR team provided general medical care and attended to about 100 patients daily. Throughout their deployment, they treated about 1,200 patients. The most significant obstacle they faced was the harsh local climate. “Inside the tent, the temperature reached 50 C,” Kosaki said.

The lack of refrigeration posed a challenge when it came to storing temperature-sensitive medications and test reagents. Consequently, the portable air cooler they brought was essential for cooling equipment, such as the X-ray machine, rather than for cooling patients or staff. Nighttime squalls flooded some tents, requiring them to be re-pitched, he said.

Kosaki was particularly concerned that many people with preexisting conditions were unaware of their illnesses or medications.

This experience underscores the urgent need for people in disaster-prone Japan to be prepared, given that disasters can occur without warning anywhere in the country.

“In addition to securing water and food supplies and establishing family meeting points, being aware of one’s health status is critical to disaster preparedness,” he said.