Lifestyle Information ② - Doctor Shift System During Holidays/Nighttime

General Relief Center in Kochi City

   What will you do when you have a sudden illness during the holidays or nighttime? It is possible in Japan to dial 119 to get an ambulance to take you to a hospital free of charge, but when your situation is not so urgent or grave and you don’t need an ambulance, you can use a system which offers information about hospitals available on holidays and at night.

   The system is called “Doctor Shift System During Holidays/Nighttime” (kyujitsu yakan touban-i seido). The system differs in each municipality, so you are advised to check the information of the system by asking your local government in advance when you are in good health.

   In Kochi City, for example, “Kochi City Holidays/Nighttime Emergency Center” (Kochishi kyujitsu yakan kyukan center) and “Kochi City Weekday/Nighttime Children’s Emergency Center” (Kochi-shi heijitsu yakan shoni kyukan center) operates in the “General Relief Center” (Sogo anshin center). Both centers provide medical care to urgent patients during the following hours (current as of Sep. 2011):

Kochi City Holidays/Nighttime Emergency Center
Open: Sundays, holidays and Dec. 31 through Jan. 3

Hours and specialty: 9am – 12am (mostly internal medicine), 1pm – 5pm (mostly pediatrics), 6pm – 10pm (pediatrics) 　
*Otorhinolaryngology (ear, nose and throat doctor) is set up only on Sunday mornings.

Kochi City Weekdays/Nighttime Children’s Emergency Center
Open: Monday through Saturday (except holidays and Dec. 31 through Jan. 3)
Hours: 8pm – 11pm (except Saturdays, 11pm – 8am the following day)
Where: 1-7-45 Marunouchi, Kochi City
TEL: 088-875-5719


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