Save children's hospitals in Tokyo: JCP

Japan Press Weekly

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

Save children's hospitals in Tokyo: JCP

The Japanese Communist Party in Tokyo is calling for community health care to be secured through improving the existing metropolitan hospitals.

In its policy proposal published on June 4, the JCP Tokyo Metropolitan Committee demands that the metropolitan government revoke its decision to shut down three metropolitan children's hospitals: Kiyose, Hachioji, and Umegaoka, and Governor Ishihara Shintaro's plan to cut the number of other Tokyo Metropolitan hospitals by half, which is supported by the majority of the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly.

Pointing out that Tokyo's emergency medical care for children is facing a shortage of pediatricians and newborn intensive care units (NICU), the JCP says it is absurd to close children's hospitals supposedly to cut costs. "It is the metropolitan government's role to take measures to ensure unprofitable medical services will be maintained," the JCP says.

The JCP also demands that the metropolitan government withdraw the plan to cut the number of metropolitan hospitals that puts cost effectiveness before anything else and the plan to privatize and allow corporations to run public hospitals.

The JCP insists that the metropolitan government financially support emergency medical care for children and help establish more pediatric and obstetric clinics as well as midwifery homes.

The JCP also calls for improvement in the working conditions of doctors and nurses at Tokyo's hospitals.

-Akahata, June 5, 2009