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Doctor brings Japan up to date on bird flu
Sept 16, 2006
Kazuaki Ishii / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
Tatsuhito Tonooka begins his day at 5 a.m. searching for the latest overseas news articles on avian influenza on his personal computer at home.
He then spends the next five or six hours translating them into Japanese and putting them on his Web site.
There are concerns that bird flu could mutate into a deadly new strain of contagious influenza that will take many people's lives.
Tonooka senses an impending crisis, and it has motivated him to dedicate himself to this cause.
"Even though there's a lot of information available on this serious issue all over the world, little is known about it in Japan," he said.
Tonooka worked as a pediatrician in large hospitals and other institutions in Hokkaido, including Hokkaido University Hospital, for 28 years before becoming the head of the Otaru Public Health Center in 2001.
He started off by gathering information on avian influenza for the sake of the public health of the city, but then thought he should build a Web site, which he had up and running in January 2005.
About 300 people, including public servants and medical workers, check out Tonooka's site (www.superinflu.com) daily to glean information from this prominent domestic resource on avian influenza.
"Japan has always been slow in adopting measures to combat the spread of diseases such as AIDS and SARS. Avian influenza may well mutate into a new strain tomorrow. We have to act now," Tonooka warned.
He also writes novels with medical themes and has even won a local literature prize. Tonooka says what he really wants to do is write more novels, but he is currently too busy with his Web site.
Sept 16, 2006
Kazuaki Ishii / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
Tatsuhito Tonooka begins his day at 5 a.m. searching for the latest overseas news articles on avian influenza on his personal computer at home.
He then spends the next five or six hours translating them into Japanese and putting them on his Web site.
There are concerns that bird flu could mutate into a deadly new strain of contagious influenza that will take many people's lives.
Tonooka senses an impending crisis, and it has motivated him to dedicate himself to this cause.
"Even though there's a lot of information available on this serious issue all over the world, little is known about it in Japan," he said.
Tonooka worked as a pediatrician in large hospitals and other institutions in Hokkaido, including Hokkaido University Hospital, for 28 years before becoming the head of the Otaru Public Health Center in 2001.
He started off by gathering information on avian influenza for the sake of the public health of the city, but then thought he should build a Web site, which he had up and running in January 2005.
About 300 people, including public servants and medical workers, check out Tonooka's site (www.superinflu.com) daily to glean information from this prominent domestic resource on avian influenza.
"Japan has always been slow in adopting measures to combat the spread of diseases such as AIDS and SARS. Avian influenza may well mutate into a new strain tomorrow. We have to act now," Tonooka warned.
He also writes novels with medical themes and has even won a local literature prize. Tonooka says what he really wants to do is write more novels, but he is currently too busy with his Web site.
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