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History
2020s
The new decade began amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While travel restrictions were in place, BIHC sought a "new form" of international health cooperation utilizing online platforms. Technical support on infection control activities was provided in low- and middle-income countries, as well as in Japan for people returning from Wuhan (China) and passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
2023
- Dispatched international emergency aid relating to the Turkish earthquake disaster, March
2022
- BIHC received the Kenko Iryo Katsudo-sho (health and medicine activities awards) from the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecolog
2021
- Support for medical services at recovery accommodation facilities of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
- Support to launch and manage testing sites for close contact cases at the Olympic Village
- Support to launch and manage the communicable disease control center of the Tokyo2020 Organizing Committee
- Received a contract from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Vietnam Office to develop a health handbook for Vietnamese workers in Japan
- Served as a member of IAVG, COVAX
- Served as a taskforce member to develop Japan's Global Health Strategy toward 2030
2020
- Support to launch an accommodation facility for COVID-19 positive immigrants in Narita, September
- Support to launch an accommodation facility for COVID-19 mild cases in Shinagawa, Tokyo, April
- Support to launch an accommodation facility for COVID-19 positive immigrants in Ichikawa, April
- Dr. Tamotsu NAKASA, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, received the 48th Iryo Koro-sho (medicine and social welfare award)
- Dispatched as a WHO short-term consultant through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) for COVID-19 outbreak in the Philippines, February
- Dispatched to the Diamond Princess cruise ship to support the local COVID-19 control task force of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, February
- Health check of Japanese returning from Wuhan, China, February
2010s
The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. Drawing on its extensive experience in resource-constrained settings, BHIC provided technical support during the disaster. The Institute for Global Health Policy Research (iGHP) was established to further contribute to the advancement of global health through research and human resource development.
2019
- Dispatched as the Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Infectious Diseases Response Team for the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, August
- Concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Health Collaboration with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, May
- President of NCGM, Dr. Kokudo, attended the 2019 United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize award ceremony during the 72nd World Health Assembly, May
- National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) was nominated and selected to receive the 2019 United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize by the 144th WHO Executive Board, February
2018
- Eiji HINOSHITA, Director General of Bureau of International Health Cooperation, was appointed as Director of Tuberculosis and Infectious Diseases Control Division of the Global Fund, August
- Dr. Mari NAGAI, Deputy Director, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, was appointed as a member of the Technical Evaluation Review Group (TERG) of the Global Fund, July
- The Institute for Global Health Policy Research (iGHP) of the National Center for International Medical Research (NCGM) signed an MOU with the National Health Security Office of Thailand (NHSO), June
- Concluded an MOU on Collaboration with University of the Philippines, February
2017
- Concluded an MOU on Collaboration with the Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand, November
- Concluded an MOU on Collaboration with the Institut Pasteur, France, July
2016
- Established Institute for Global Health Policy Research under the Bureau of International Health Cooperation, October
- Dispatched as the Japan Disaster Relief (JDR) Infectious Diseases Response Team for the yellow fever outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, July
- Concluded an MOU on Collaboration for Joint Research and Human Resource Development with the Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Health, Myanmar, March
2015
- Established an MOU on Comprehensive Collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Lao PDR, October
- Concluded an Agreement on Academic and Personnel Exchange with Nagasaki University, September
- Concluded a Collaborative Research Agreement, Cho Ray Hospital, Vietnam, September
- Concluded an Agreement of Technical Cooperation for Molecular Epidemiological Study with the Department of Health, Ministry of Health, Myanmar, August
- Concluded an MoU on Health Collaboration with Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital, Indonesia, July
- Started the Program for International Promotion of Japan’s Healthcare Technologies and Services in order to transfer experience regarding the Public Health Insurance System in Japan, April
- Reorganized into the Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, National Research and Development Agency, according to the partial revision of the Independent Administrative Agency of General Law, April
- Concluded an Agreement of Technical Cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Department of Health, Myanmar, April
- Re-cooperation with the Graduate School of International Health Development at Nagasaki University, January
2014
- Concluded an Agreement on Research Cooperation with the Department of Health, Ministry of Health, Myanmar, April
- Concluded a Collaborative Research Agreement with The Lao Institut Pasteur, Lao People's Democratic Republic, February
2013
- Continued to operate the WHO Collaboration Center (healthcare system) until 2017, August
- Established collaborative relations (MCC) with Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, January
2012
- Established collaborative relations (MCC) with the National Maternal and Child Health Center, Cambodia, December
- Extended an Agreement on Cooperation for Recovery of Health and Hygiene Activities with Higashimatsushima City, June
- Name changed to the International Medical Cooperation Bureau, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, April
2011
- Celebrated 25th anniversary of its founding, October
- Began cooperation with the Graduate School of International Health Development at Nagasaki University, September
- Concluded an Agreement on Cooperation for Recovery of Health and Hygiene Activities with Higashimatsushima City, June
- Dispatched a healthcare team to Higashimatsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture, for mid- and-long term support activities relating to the Great East Japan Earthquake, March
2010
- Initiated activities with the Grameen Group from Bangladesh, October
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the flood disaster in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, September
- Group training for Japanese relating to cooperation on international healthcare and medicine is renewed, June
- Appointed as Secretariat of the Japan International Healthcare Society, April
- Reorganized into the Department of International Medical Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine and changed into an independent administrative institution, April
2000s
Aid coordination, in which various donors and organizations cooperate for a common goal, became the mainstream of international cooperation. The focus of BIHC’s activities also shifted from pure technical assistance to policy development and implementation support.
2009
- Reorganized into a WHO Collaboration Center (healthcare system), October
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Typhoon No. 8 disaster in Taiwan., August
- Provided support to handle airport quarantines relating to the H1N1 influenza outbreak, April
2008
- Hosted the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Association for International Health, October
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the cyclone disaster in the Union of Myanmar, May
- Initiated technical cooperation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2006
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Java Island earthquake disaster in Indonesia, May
- Initiated technical cooperation with Zambia
2005
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the earthquake disaster in Pakistan, October
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Nias Island earthquake disaster in Indonesia, April
- Dispatched personnel to address tuberculosis to the EMRO Pakistani office
- Established an office (MCC) in Bach Mai Hospital, Vietnam
- Began resident training for international healthcare aid
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami to Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia, January
2004
- Dispatched UNICEF Health Ministry advisers to Afghanistan
- Initiated technical cooperation and reconstruction assistance for Afghanistan
2003
- Five physicians who participated in international emergency aid to combat SARS received the National Personnel Authority President's Award
- Initiated training for infection control experts
- Initiated group training relating to maternal and child heath in Francophone Africa
- Sent international emergency aid related to combatting SARS in Vietnam and China, March-April
- Attended the EPITAG Meeting hosted by WPRO. Dispatched personnel to the Vietnamese branch of WPRO
- Dispatched physicians for Global Parasite Control (Hashimoto Initiative)
2002
- Began attending the World Health Assembly, as requested by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the El Salvadoran earthquake disaster, January
2001
- Initiated technical cooperation with Senegal
2000
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Indonesian earthquake disaster, June
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Mozambican flood disaster, March
- Initiated technical cooperation with Myanmar
- Initiated technical cooperation with Honduras
1990s
BIHC became an organization that works with health administrative agencies in low- and middle-income countries to support the development of their health systems.
1999
- Sent aid to protect Japanese nationals relating to the Kyrgyz abduction incident, September
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Turkish earthquake disaster, August
- Initiated project-based technical cooperation with Madagascar, the Center’s first time in Africa
- Initiated technical cooperation with Yemen
1998
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Indonesian riot, May
- Initiated group training for Japanese relating to international medical cooperation
1997
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Indonesian wildfire disaster, September
- Initiated technical cooperation with Indonesia
1996
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Japanese embassy hostage crisis in Peru, December
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Bangladeshi tornado disaster, May
- Initiated technical cooperation with Pakistan
1995
- Sent emergency aid relating to the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, March
- Initiated technical cooperation and reconstruction assistance with Cambodia
- Initiated technical cooperation with Vietnam
1994
- Initiated technical cooperation with Brazil
1993
- Reorganized into a national center and name changed to the International Medical Cooperation Bureau, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, October
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Nepal flood disaster
1992
- Dispatched international emergency aid relating to the Nicaragua earthquake and tsunami disaster, September
- Initiated technical cooperation with Laos
1991
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Philippine typhoon disaster, November
- Hosted the 6th Annual Meeting of the Japan Association for International Health, August
- Initiated technical cooperation with Thailand
1990
- Initiated technical cooperation with China
1980s
BIHC began its activities with emergency aid to refugee camps in Cambodia
1988
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Ethiopian drought disaster, March
- Initiated technical cooperation with Bangladesh
1987
- Sent international emergency aid relating to the Bangladeshi flood disaster, August
- The first technical cooperation begins in Bolivia (JICA Santa Cruz General Hospital Project)
1986
- Department of International Medical Cooperation is established in the Medical Center for National Hospitals, October
1981
- Dispatched technical guidance for the China-Japan Friendship Hospital Project
1979
- Sent medical aid to Cambodian refugees (until 1983)
- Established the “Project Office for the National Center for Global Health and Medicare” in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare