Community Medical Activities in Doctorless Areas of Hokkaido: Shimukappu Village

2018/04/01

There are several student organizations in the School of Medicine dedicated to community medical activities. One of them is the Public Health Research Group. Volunteers from medical and nursing students spend about half a month every year in early August working in medically underserved areas of Hokkaido. When it was founded in 1956, there were many doctorless areas in Hokkaido, so I have heard that the activities centered on general medical care supported by hospital doctors, while simultaneously conducting parasite surveys and well water quality surveys. Later, as the health care system improved, doctorless areas in the strict sense almost disappeared, and the nature of the activities gradually changed.

The photos show the first year of activities in Shimukappu Village, Yufutsu District, in the summer of 1987. Shimukappu Village is located almost in the center of Hokkaido. At that time, a ski resort had just opened in Tomamu a few years earlier, and the Tomamu area was more bustling than the village center (the words "Tomamu Elementary and Junior High School" can be seen in the photo).

As it was the first year, we conducted general medical care in internal medicine, ophthalmology, and otorhinolaryngology, as well as home visits by students. During the home visits, we asked about the villagers' living conditions and health status, and conducted blood pressure measurements and medical area surveys. As a result, from the following year, ophthalmology and otorhinolaryngology checkups became the center of medical activities instead of general medical care.

For home visits, we first made appointments via public telephone based on a list provided by the village office (for which permission for home visits had been obtained). Nursing students would stack up ten-yen coins and make calls nervously. They became more experienced through various failures, such as getting lost or visiting the wrong house.

While we lived and cooked for ourselves in a community center borrowed from the village, there were also happy events such as receiving fresh vegetables from the homes we visited. Furthermore, the beauty of the starry sky is beyond description.

During our activities, we received help from many people associated with Keio. For example, the car in the photo was borrowed through the courtesy of Asahikawa Nissan Motor, and I heard this was originally because the president was a member of the Mita-kai. We also received both material and spiritual support from 34 Mita-kai member doctors within the prefecture. These activities were possible because of such support, and I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude once again.

(Professor, International University of Health and Welfare; 1989 School of Medicine Graduate, Naoki Shimada)