On Thursday, April 25, we held the Inochi Forum Action Platform on Medical and Welfare titled “Actions to Cherish the Brilliance of Life” in a hybrid format at the Osaka University Nakanoshima Center’s “Inochi Plaza” and online.
A total of 25 participants, including speakers, attended the venue, while 30 participants joined online. Below is a summary of the event.

Takuo Dome (Special Advisor to the President of Osaka University, Vice Chair of the Inochi Forum Executive Committee) gave the opening address: From SSI to the Inochi Forum and the Inochi Declaration.

An overview of the Inochi Forum and Declaration was provided, presenting a vision of a supportive society where the “Capable” and the “Vulnerable” coexist and assist each other.

Yasuomi Hayashi (President and CEO of Knock on the Door Inc.) presented on “Development and Utilization of the Smartphone App nanacara for Epilepsy Patients and Their Families”.

• Medical Support Startup: “A Society Where Patients with Incurable Diseases and Their Families Can Shine and Lead Authentic Lives”
  -> Objective: Deliver the voices of patients and their families to society through innovation, and build an ecosystem.

• Epilepsy Management App nanacara: Records symptoms and treatments, and strengthens the collaboration between patients, families, and doctors.
  -> Expansion: Spreads mainly through word-of-mouth via communication among patients, families, and doctors.

• Team Building Through Empathy Among Patients, Families, and Doctors: Sharing tacit knowledge and converting it into explicit knowledge.

• New Initiatives: Address regional disparities in medical care for refractory epilepsy through online medical consultations and pharmacy expansion.
  -> Goal: Improve overall healthcare by developing an information-sharing infrastructure centered on patients with intractable diseases and their families.

Yukari Tani (Future Support Office for Children, CSR Promotion Department, Shionogi & Co., Ltd.) and Satoshi Yamawaki (President of Castalia Co., Ltd. / Director of African Mothers Co., Ltd.) presented on “The Challenge of Promoting a Mobile Maternal and Child Health Record App in Africa Through a Partnership Between Startups and Large Corporations”.

• Shionogi & Co., Ltd.’s Mission: Improve overall healthcare services and enhance medical access.

• Mother to Mother Shionogi Project: Enhance medical access for mothers and children in Africa.

• Diarrhea Prevention: Improve infrastructure and hygiene practices such as safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, leading to societal improvement.
  -> Collaboration: Develop a hygiene education app in partnership with universities and the startup African Mothers.

• African Mothers: Digital maternal and child health project in Tanzania combining EdTech and MedTech.

• Challenges: Rapid population growth outpaces medical access and health education.
  -> Approach: Develop the app while addressing local challenges, needs, and infrastructure, and promote education and information sharing.

Yurika Doi (Resident of Sakai City, Ph.D. in Neuroscience) presented on “Envisioning a Data Ecosystem That Leaves No One Behind”.

• Vision: A society where diverse people (including those with disabilities, different genders, and socio-economic backgrounds) can collaboratively create rules and products.

• Benefits of Utilizing Data and AI in Medical and Welfare Fields: Support for diagnosis, health advice, etc.

• Disparities in Clinical Trials: The diversity of people affected by diseases vs. the narrow demographic of clinical trial participants.
  -> AI Bias: Bias in data sets leading to frequent misidentifications and skewed AI-generated services.

• Challenges:
  Bias in Data Sets: Resulting in discrimination and bias.
  Misuse and Abuse of Data.
  Inequality in Access to Data: Including opportunities for learning and employment.

Yuika Tsukamoto (Fukiai High School, Kobe City) presented on “How to Create a Society Where Menstrual Leave is Easy to Take”.

• Personal Experience: Questioned the current state of menstrual leave in Japan, which was introduced early internationally but remains difficult to take. How can this be addressed?

• Data Analysis, Content of Menstrual Symptoms, Economic Losses, Medical Consultation Experiences, and Company Understanding and Policies.
  -> High Barriers to Taking Menstrual Leave: Low understanding and few female managers.

• Case Studies and Reasoning for Solutions, Workshops.

• Online Diagnosis and Leave Applications via Apps: Lowering the barriers.

• Improving the Image of Menstrual Leave: By considering it as online leave.

• Proposal:
  Fostering Understanding and Empathy: Through workshops for all employees.
  Development of an App (MoMent): To streamline leave applications and medical consultations, enhancing the participation of women, who make up 45% of the total workforce.

Discussion

• Low Understanding Among Supervisors and Teachers: Both men and women often fail to grasp the significant individual differences in menstrual symptoms. It is crucial not just to make menstrual leave easier to take, but also to educate about the diversity of issues related to menstruation.

• Importance of Education for Fundamental Problem Solving: There is a consensus that education is essential for solving these issues fundamentally. The involvement of the national government is crucial in this regard. This could include not only legal measures regarding menstrual leave but also promotional policies such as subsidies for companies that promote menstrual leave and conduct workshops.

• Addressing Cultural and Traditional Roots: How to deal with the cultural and societal pressures, such as conformity, that underlie the issues in Japanese society.