2024 Volume 16 Issue 1 Pages 29-40
In the event of a large-scale disaster, the ability to supply medicines to disaster victims will be reduced, putting patients’ lives at risk. In Hokkaido, large earthquakes are expected to occur along the Japan Trench and the Kuril Islands Trench, making it necessary to stockpile pharmaceuticals and other supplies in preparation for a large-scale disaster. However, the current disaster-preparedness status of pharmacies, which play an important role in the supply of pharmaceuticals, is not known. Therefore, we conducted an awareness survey of pharmacy managers and administrators throughout Hokkaido regarding the stockpiling of pharmaceuticals and other supplies in preparation for a large-scale disaster, the creation of a business continuity plan (BCP), and their sense of burden. The results showed that only 36.1% of respondents answered that they “need to stockpile pharmaceuticals,” while 26.8% answered that they “have prepared a BCP.” Thus, it was found that these measures are urgently needed. The percentage of respondents who recognized the need to stockpile medicines and who had prepared a BCP was lower among small pharmacies and smaller group pharmacies. This suggests the importance of raising awareness of the need for collaboration among community pharmacies and establishing a system to facilitate collaboration. In addition, the burden on pharmacy managers is related to their experience in disaster care, suggesting the need for training and education on how to provide disaster care.
