Indian doctors in Japan for relief work

A team of 29 Indian doctors and one veterinarian has reached quake-hit Japan to offer medical relief to the victims, thanks to the efforts of Rise Up Mumbai, a city-based non government organisation.

“We found people trapped under rubble, under buildings and under what were once their homes. It is hard to believe that some of them have survived the ordeal. This experience has made me believe in the resilience of the human spirit once again,” says 35-year-old Dr Anant Menon who was in Fujiyama before moving to Tokyo.

The group, which is moving across the worst hit areas offering their services, includes 20 general physicians and surgeons from Mumbai, four from Delhi and the remaining from Kolkata. There are four women doctors in the team.

“Coordinating the relief operations and finding doctors to volunteer in Japan was easier than we expected,” says Kaizad Bhamgara, the co-founder of Rise Up Mumbai.

All Bhamgara did after hearing the news of the earthquake was to write an email to his board members and friends about wanting to send medical relief to Japan.

“Within two hours, we had several doctors volunteering,” says the young activist who had to turn down a few requests because of lack of funding and visa hassles.

“Fortunately, 14 of them had multiple entry visas to Japan,” he adds. Bhamgara revealed that he has applied for emergency visas for another team of doctors keen to go to the quake-hit country later this week.

“A lot more needs to be done. And what is heartening is that people are not waiting for the government to initiate relief work but are volunteering on their own,” says social media activist Harish Iyer who is also part of the coordinating team of Rise Up India.