KU Hospital's South Ward inaugurated (23 December 2016)

On 23 December 2016, Kyoto University Hospital hosted a series of events to mark the completion of its new building, the South Ward, with a total 120 people attending from the University and elsewhere.

The newly constructed South Ward building features a rooftop heliport intended for use for disaster relief, emergency patient transportation, and delivery of transplant organs, and is equipped for the treatment of a wide range of conditions, including lifestyle-related diseases, such as diabetes, stroke, kidney disease, and periodontal disease; sensory and motor disorders, such as those involving the eye, ear, nose, skin, nerves, bones, joints, and muscles; and connective tissue disease.

The first event of the day opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with six people taking part: Mr Hideo Teshima, Director of the Office for University Hospital Support, Medical Education Division, Higher Education Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); Kyoto Prefecture's Vice-Governor Shuichi Yamauchi; Kyoto City's Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa; and three Kyoto University officials -- President Juichi Yamagiwa, Professor Nagahiro Minato, Executive Vice-President for Research, Planning, and Hospital Administration, and the Hospital's Director Nobuya Inagaki. This was followed by a facility tour that covered the advanced treatment room, located on the eighth floor and equipped to maintain the level of sanitation required of an operating room, a patient's room installed with a circadian lighting system, which automatically keeps lighting in synch with the occupant's body clock, and a rehabilitation room. Local residents were also invited to have a look at the brand-new hospital rooms, which are usually closed to visitors, with commentary provided by staff.

Later, another celebratory event was held at ANA Crown Plaza Kyoto. It opened with remarks by KU Hospital's Director Inagaki, who stated, "We aim to deliver patient satisfaction by providing quality services in an optimal environment. As a team of highly motivated professionals, we will work as one to fulfill our responsibilities as a regional and national center of care." President Yamagiwa followed this with his speech, saying, "The South Ward building represents a major milestone on the hardware front. It is my sincere hope that this will be followed by strides on the software front, that is, in terms of greater staff competence and operational efficiency."

Next, congratulatory messages from three government officials were delivered; Mr Shigechika Terakado, Director of the Medical Education Division, Higher Education Bureau, MEXT (read by Mr Teshima), Kyoto Governor Keiji Yamada (read by Ms Atsuko Matsumura, Director of the Department of Health and Welfare, Kyoto Prefectural Office), and Mayor Kadokawa all expressed high expectations for KU Hospital's new building.

The Hospital's Deputy-Director Toshio Heike then gave an overview of the facility's notable features.

This event was followed by a celebration, in which Executive Vice-President Minato and Director Yoichi Mori of the Kyoto Medical Association delivered welcome addresses before a sake barrel-opening ceremony, called kagami-biraki or kagami-wari , was conducted. Guests were seen conversing about topics such as the future of medicine and the role of the South Ward.