=I BNI_|| BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY _ REPOSITORY | coLLEcTION POE/PASO 7 . Doe/,WV Jas, "€iatod #3 ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES, ING. UPTON, Lil, NY. BOX Ne Blo- WED, DR COnALO : MEDICAL DEPARTMENT : | < 2 o w open a October 9, 1973 AOLI4a& Mr. Hemos Jilej Secretary/Treasurer Rongelap Fallout Survivors Association C/O Robert R, Harrison P.O, Box 48 Majuro, Marshall Islands 96960 Dear Hemos, This is in answer to your recent letter outlining certain requests of the Rongelap Fallout Survivors Association to our medical team, We are, of course, very much interested in seeing improvement in the living conditions of the people on Rongelap. Some of the requests, { should point out should be directed to others since they are not our responsibility. As I pointed out in the village meeting at Rongelap last March our only responsibilities are concerned with health care and not with food, housing etc. ment on the requests, first stating the request. : 1. I will now com- We would like a doctor to come to Rongelap to live, so that he may treat our illness’ from day to day. coming once a year, This would be better than just 4. I am very much afraid we cannot’ fullfill the request to have a doctor living full time at Rongelap, [t is very fortunate for you that we have been able to persuade Dr, Knudsen to stay in the Marshall Islands another two years to help the Trust Territory with your health care and to see that the exposed people take their thyroid medicine, Since there are many Rongelap people living at Ebeye, Majuro and elsewhere Dr. Knudsen must spend time at these other islands in addition to Rongelap, It is hoped that Dr. Knudsen will be able to visit Rongelap for a period of one to two weeks every three months (4 times a year) including the annual visit of the medical team for the usual examinations and for the short September surveys. ‘2. We xequest that when called to Majuro or Ebeye by the B.N.L, team that the patient will receive an adequate per-diem to cover all of his living expenses during his stay, Se a nen The people should not confuse B,N.L, responsibility with that of the Trust Territory with regard to per diem payments of patients, At the present time the arrangement is for BNL to pay travel expenses to those patients going to the United States for special treatment such as to the thyroid patients, In order to help the Trust Territory doctors with regualr medical care of the people our doctors will sometime recommend that certain people go to Ebeye or Majuro for treatment, The Trust Territory handles the expenses in those casesnot BNL. If we recommend that any of you-go to the United States for special 5013364 a oo INFORMATION OPERATOR (516) 348-2123 m\yvi Wy