Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2024 September, 264(1)

News and Views

Disaster Pharmacists' Support and Challenges Faced by Hospital Pharmacy Departments in the Disaster Response for the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Tatsuya Tai,^1,2 Masahiro Watanabe,³ Sayaka Yamashita,² Takahiro Motoki,² Kazunori Yamaguchi,² Hiroaki Tanaka² and Shinji Kosaka²

¹Department of Infection Control Service Office, Kagawa University Hospital, Kagawa, Japan
²Department of Pharmacy, Kagawa University Hospital, Kagawa, Japan
³Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Shujitsu University, Okayama, Japan

The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, which reached a maximum intensity of 7, led to the deterioration of critical services including electricity, water, communication, and roads, resulting in 241 fatalities. The medical response of pharmacists during disasters has gained attention since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. However, few studies have evaluated the challenges that hospital pharmacy departments face during disasters. T.T., the author, supported the hospital pharmacy department of the Anamizu General Hospital from February 2 to 4, 2024. He handled medication dispensing for inpatients, provided medication and instructions to outpatients, and reported to the local coordination headquarters. Furthermore, he stayed overnight in the department to handle on-call activities. Daily tasks included reporting and information sharing with the coordination headquarters. Regarding pharmacist support activities in medical facilities, challenges arose from the malfunctioning of automated tablet dispensing machines after the earthquake, worsening dispensing conditions and pharmaceutical supply issues. To avoid these problems, pharmacists should provide swift and continuous medical support until automated tablet dispensing machines' systems are restored after an earthquake. Additionally, it is considered beneficial for medical institutions to include in their business continuity plans a stockpile of medicines that can last for 7 days, as preparation for coping with earthquakes and similar emergencies. The findings of this report could be useful to all countries facing the possibility of disasters.

Key words —— automated dispensing; business continuity plan; disaster; pharmaceutical stockpiling pharmacist

© 2024 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2024 September, 264(1), 49-52.

Correspondence: Tatsuya Tai Ph.D., Department of Infection Control Service Office, Kagawa University Hospital, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan.

e-mail: tai.tatsuya@kagawa-u.ac.jp