第１６３１堀：病院は意外と軍事的にも大事 (Part2)
Come to think of it, I realized I had no idea who was actually overseeing the medical corps.
"Regarding military medical affairs, we’ve been having Rurua and Elju handle the dispatching—or rather, the instruction—haven't we?"
"Yes, that is correct. The understanding is that we select those from the military who wish to be involved in medical care first."
"Exactly. We’ve been accepting personnel as requested by the military and providing them with training."
I see. So, they’re recruiting for the medical corps from military volunteers.
Well, just being able to provide treatment isn't enough to serve in the military; if you can't handle the bare minimum of field requirements, you’re in for a rough time.
Of course, back on Earth, there are neutral parties that provide medical aid in war zones. But they often become targets for attack. That’s because they’re frequently used as a front to transport weapons, ammunition, and—naturally—high-value targets. It makes perfect sense for an army to rely on its own internal medical staff rather than a neutral group that can’t fight and isn't aligned with anyone. In fact, because they are literally neutral, they don't belong to either side, meaning neither side can use them effectively. To those actually waging war, they’re something of a nuisance.
While I was lost in these thoughts, the conversation continued.
"So, you want to appoint a military-affiliated doctor, someone currently studying under Rurua or Elju, as the head of the port town’s hospital?"
"Yes. We need someone capable of managing personnel, finances, and supplies. In a worst-case scenario—should the town suffer a massive disaster with countless casualties—we need someone who can act with speed and precision."
"Well, under those conditions, a trained soldier would undoubtedly be more effective."
"There is no doubt about that. That is exactly what they are trained for. However, personnel and supply management... those are things that are difficult to master without actual experience."
There aren't many people who can read the dynamics of a group and make the appropriate assignments. And even with supply management, there’s a limit to how much you can prepare for the unexpected. It’s not as simple as it sounds.
However...
"Being able to move during an emergency is crucial. As for personnel assignments, supplies, and fund management, we can provide the oversight. Besides, we hold the reins on the core of the personnel and supply chains anyway, so it shouldn't be that difficult. It’s really just a matter of keeping track of the inventory."
It might look complicated, but when you think about it, the port town’s hospital is part of a group managed by Rurua, and the ultimate foundation is Weed. In other words, it’s state-run. Because of that, we essentially control the movement of people and supplies. The head of the port town hospital only really holds authority within the walls of that facility. If we were to drop by and find supplies missing or the management sloppy, heads would roll. Under normal circumstances, such trouble wouldn't occur.
Perhaps they understood what I meant, as everyone looked at one another.
"True, the foundation is us. We perform the audits, and even if they tried to disguise any discrepancies..."
"Naturally, others besides us use the hospital as well. Above all, since these are military personnel, if they were to pull something like that, it would be a capital offense."
"Indeed. Tampering with military supplies is akin to driving one's own unit to total annihilation. There can't be anyone foolish enough not to understand that."
"Exactly. Especially since they are dealing with medical supplies—things that, quite literally, are tied to life itself. Even someone outside the military would understand the gravity of mishandling such items. In that sense, military personnel might actually be the safest choice for management."
With that, everyone began to lean toward the idea of pulling staff from the military for the port town hospital. Well, that was to be expected. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with a civilian doctor taking the lead, but they lack our trust. And when it comes to executing orders, they are inferior to soldiers.
"I agree with Rurua. I think we should appoint someone from the military."
"It will make it easier to unify the chain of command in an emergency. And to prevent corruption, we can rotate the administrators—the hospital directors, I suppose? Regardless, we should cycle them through from the military. That way, they’ll learn how to manage and interact with the general public."
"That sounds good. It will also serve as excellent training for supply management."
A decision was reached. It seems they realized that a hospital is a place where coordination with the military is highly likely, and that this could serve as a valuable opportunity for officer education.
Seeing that the matter was being handled so smoothly, we slipped out so as not to get in the way of Seraria and the others as they discussed the selection.
After all, unlike the modern Earth, there aren't many massive, privately-owned hospitals here. Because it’s state-run, the option to utilize it in this way has become a viable path.