Nuclear disaster of Fukushima and the need for monitoring long-term health effects

Shortly after the quake, three of six reactors of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant exploded consecutively emitting radioactivity into the environment. Residents in the 20km radius had to evacuate. The severity of the disaster was later ranked above the Three Mile accident in the U.S. only stopping short of the Chernobyl. Fortunately, there have been no victims directly resulting from the disaster except some workers working in or near the reactors were exposed above permissible level. Nonetheless, evacuated residents do not see any prospect to go back to their homes in the near future and are worrying about their long-term health effects as well as about the environmental damage to agriculture. The entire world was alerted when a video of a mutant rabbit without ears was put to the Youtube late May. Although, no serious health effects on human has been reported so far, the late effects on human health must be monitored for a long time to come. The presenter will discuss the need of health monitoring of residents and the role and responsibilities of public health professionals.