Medical professionals' perceived ability to provide solutions
In a world where nuclear deterrence and geopolitical strategies dominate discussions, it is crucial to remember the human cost of nuclear weapons. This cost, as vividly described by survivors of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is one of lifelong suffering, psychological trauma, and societal discrimination.
The currently stationed atomic bombs are set to be replaced by a modernized version, considered "more accurate" and "more effective". However, the focus on these improvements often overshadows the long-term medical and human consequences that these weapons can inflict.
Dr. Angelika Claußen, co-chair of IPPNW, an organisation that is part of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017, has been at the forefront of drawing attention to these consequences. The IPPNW was founded in 1980 due to the knowledge that medical help is not possible after a nuclear weapons strike.
The immediate horrors of the atomic bombings are well-documented. Bodies disintegrated, communities were destroyed, and dignity in death was lost. However, the enduring health problems faced by survivors are less often discussed. Radiation exposure significantly raises lifetime cancer risks. For instance, women exposed at around age 30 saw a 58% increase in solid cancer rates by age 70 per gray of radiation absorbed, while men saw a 35% increase[1].
Survivors also report trauma not only from the attack but also from lingering societal discrimination and the heavy burden of fearing genetic effects on their children[1][2]. Many have hidden their suffering for decades but are now increasingly speaking out, urging nuclear disarmament to prevent similar suffering[3][5].
Medical professionals and research reinforce these survivor testimonies, documenting the lifelong and intergenerational toll of radiation sickness, cancers, and the psychological impact. The devastation extends beyond immediate casualties to persistent impairments in health and well-being. Environmental poisoning and contamination further compound the long-term harm to survivors and their descendants[5].
Yet, many nuclear deterrence debates and policies focus mainly on strategic and geopolitical considerations, often sidelining the profound human cost described by those who endured nuclear strikes. The testimonies of hibakusha have been marginalized or forgotten as time passes and political agendas shift.
For instance, survivor advocates report frustrations at nuclear states' reluctance to engage with their experiences or join treaties banning nuclear weapons such as the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which Japan notably has not signed[2][3]. This neglect has risked eroding global awareness of nuclear weapons' catastrophic humanitarian consequences, thereby weakening advocacy for disarmament and underestimating the true costs of nuclear war[2][5].
In summary, the hibakusha's voices serve as critical, painful reminders of the inhumanity of nuclear weapons that continue to be relevant yet underacknowledged today. For many hibakusha, the adoption and entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was a historic moment. Yet, the continued practice of nuclear exercises and the reluctance to engage with the experiences of survivors suggest that more needs to be done to acknowledge and address the human cost of nuclear weapons.
References: [1] Malkin, Elisabeth. "The Long Shadow of Hiroshima." The New York Times, 6 Aug. 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/world/asia/the-long-shadow-of-hiroshima.html. [2] "Hibakusha Speak Out." International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, www.ippnw.org/hibakusha-speak-out. [3] "Hibakusha Stories." International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, www.icanw.org/hibakusha-stories. [4] "Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons." United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/background. [5] "The Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons." International Committee of the Red Cross, www.icrc.org/en/document/humanitarian-impact-nuclear-weapons.
- The long-term medical and human consequences of nuclear weapons are often overshadowed by discussions about their modernization and improved accuracy.
- Dr. Angelika Claußen, co-chair of IPPNW, emphasizes the lifelong impact of radiation sickness, cancers, and psychological trauma that nuclear weapons can inflict on survivors.
- Many hibakusha, survivors of atomic bombings, have been speaking out about their enduring health problems, societal discrimination, and fear for the future generations.
- The neglect of the human cost of nuclear weapons in nuclear deterrence debates and policies risks eroding global awareness and underestimating the true costs of nuclear war.
