Stop closing public hospitals

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Stop closing public hospitals

Japanese Communist Party representative Takahashi Chizuko at the Lower House Budget Committee meeting on February 20 demanded that the government stop forcing public hospitals to pursue cost-effective management schemes.

The government guideline on public hospital reform is forcing local governments into desperate efforts to close municipal hospitals or cut the number of beds in these hospitals.

She cited Iwate Prefecture as an example. Iwate drew up a far-fetched plan to turn its public hospitals into the black within three years by reducing the number of beds in line with the government guideline. Takahashi asked the government if this guideline is compulsory.

Minister of Internal Affairs Hatoyama Kunio said, "That's no more than a guideline."

Prime Minister Aso Taro also said, "The guideline is about providing necessary medical services in the given regions. It is not just a matter of balancing the budget."

Under the present system, any hospital that provides less than 20 beds will be treated as a clinic instead of a hospital. This downgrading will mean cuts in the amount of compensation that clinics receive from the government for medical treatment and related technical services. Because of this, many clinics have decided to have no beds at all to curb costs.

She said that a clinic in Miyagi Prefecture removed all its beds, forcing all its inpatients out of the clinic which resulted in some deaths.

Takahashi also stated, "The government should increase the compensation to medical institutions so that clinics can provide necessary medical services to meet the needs of the community."

- Akahata, February 21, 2009