Since 2020, the spread of the new coronavirus has not stopped, and the number of people in financial distress has risen sharply due to the recession it has caused. There was a much longer line than usual at venues for soup kitchens, free medical consultations, and life consultations held jointly with other organizations. During the end of the year and New Year holidays, when it is colder and people tend to suffer from loneliness, Médecins du Monde continues to carry out activities as usual. MdM’s goal is clear: “No matter how serious the pandemic is, no one is excluded from medical care.”
January 1 medical consultation
New Year’s Day 2021.
The team of volunteers carried out medical consultations as usual at Higashiikebukuro Central Park, bringing and setting up tables, chairs, lamps, etc. as well as medical equipment and supplies for on-site consultations. Disinfectants are placed on each table. The consultants gather as some regulars came to present New Year’s greetings, but others came because they were ill or needed medicine.
The medical consultation is the trigger that opens the door to dialogue
Doctors and nurses are there to help cure physical ailments: by carrying out basic medical consultations, providing the necessary medicines, but they are also there to listen to individual stories and inquire about living conditions. If someone is in poor health and needs a thorough medical examination, doctors will write a medical referral letter to introduce them to hospitals. By listening to people’s stories, the wishes and choices of beneficiaries are respected, sharing more gives them the opportunity to connect to welfare.
*Donations to Médecins du Monde are eligible for income deductions or tax credits.
*Médecins du Monde does not use the donations it receives for specific support projects.
In principle, the total amount of donations received will be distributed to all support activities.
End and start of year Activities
December 30th ~ January 3rd
©Kazuo Koishi
Install tables with sufficient space
About 100 people
came for consultations
Booth installation
◆ 3 Regular medical consultation booths
◆ 1 Cough / fever consultation booth
◆ 1 Mental health consultation booth
Install tables with sufficient space
For mental and physical health
-An approach where housing is the highest priority
Medical consultation leads to social consultation, the idea of “Housing First” is first of all to obtain “safe housing” which is the basis for regaining mental and physical health. No matter what the background, everyone has the right to health and medical care.
“I’m afraid of the infection because there are too many people sleeping together in cramped spaces”-
confesses a woman in her 40s sleeping in Cyber Cafes.
The crisis has caused sudden loss of jobs and the number of people in financial distress has increased dramatically, poverty is no longer a matter of others. Médecins du Monde continue to operate uninterrupted so that no one is left behind in medical care. Would you please join us in aiming for a society where no one is left behind by medical care? As we face the greatest public health challenge in recent history, the need for our activities has never been greater. Can you chip in to keep them running?
Number of new coronavirus infection prevention kits distributed from March 2020
8,226 sets (as of January 3, 2021)
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Most of the funds earmarked for the activities of the Housing First Tokyo Project are individual donations. In the midst of this unprecedented crisis, fear for physical and mental health is great, we need your support more than ever. Please consider making a donation to support our activities. * Donations to Médecins du Monde are eligible for income deductions or tax credits. Support example
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