“What does ‘Saiseikai’ mean?” Someone asks. The answer lies in the very foundation of the \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662. It means “to save lives with medical care”. Emperor Meiji established Saiseikai in 1911. His goal was to help those struggling with poverty.
The \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 has a rich history. It began as a small clinic in 1940. It had just two departments internal medicine and surgery. The clinic aimed to serve the growing industrial city of Kawaguchi. By 1941, the clinic expanded into a 50-bed hospital. This was thanks to donations from many people. But the need for beds still exceeded the number available especially for tuberculosis patients.
The hospital continued to grow. By 1957, it had 217 beds with 197 dedicated to tuberculosis treatment. The opening of the National Railway’s Nishi-Kawaguchi Station in 1954 increased the demand for medical care as the population grew. In the 1960s, \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 added more departments. These included obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, pediatrics and dentistry. It became a general hospital.
At the same time, the hospital started to replace its wooden buildings with stronger steel-reinforced structures. More beds were added. Today, the \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 has 400 general beds and 20 for tuberculosis patients. It is a designated Class II infectious disease medical institution.
\u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 plays a crucial role in cancer care. Since 2009, it has been designated a Regional Cancer Care Cooperation Base Hospital. The hospital works to provide high-quality cancer treatment. It has a team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other professionals.
Saiseikai itself is the largest social welfare organization in Japan. About 66,000 employees work in 40 prefectures. They are involved in medical, healthcare and welfare activities. The \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 is part of this network. It contributes to the community through advanced medical care. It also offers seamless medical and welfare services.
The \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 has a cancer consultation support center. It provides support to cancer patients and their families. Anyone can seek advice here. The hospital also offers palliative care. This shows its commitment to helping people at all stages of their illness.
However the \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 faced an incident. In 2019, an anesthesiologist posted hateful content on Twitter. This caused public outcry. The hospital took disciplinary action. It reinforced measures to prevent similar incidents. The doctor was removed from the hospital website.
Standing here, we recognize the \u57fc\u7389\u770c\u6e08\u751f\u4f1a\u5ddd\u53e3\u7dcf\u5408\u75c5\u9662 as more than just a building. It is a place of healing. It reflects Saiseikai’s mission to provide care and support to all.