For over two years, the main medical problem in Ukraine has been the coronavirus pandemic. Following the attack, Ukrainian doctors are treating COVID-19 and rescuing victims of clashes and bombings. Three of them spoke about their work in an interview with the independent news portal Meduza.
- Doctors emphasize that there is currently no shortage of medics in Ukraine, and the pandemic has prepared them to work in difficult conditions
- However, they note that their work is now much harder than during the COVID-19 epidemic
- Treatment is not only carried out in hospital conditions, the medical staff helps the wounded hidden in shelters and faces various difficulties, incl. lack of equipment on site to diagnose injuries
- The Ukrainian health service is also struggling with enemy attempts to seize ambulances or seize pharmacies
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«We have only had a few shells in Odessa so far. There were 18 victims of one bombing, and our doctors dealt with it » — Sergei Rashchenko, the head of the Motus rehabilitation center in Odessa, tells in an interview with journalists from the Meduza portal. «I think that the burden in our rehabilitation center will start when we win, that is after the war. The injured will certainly need rehabilitation, our help. We will accept all our fighters and do our best » — he says, adding: “I’ll be honest with you: covid is nothing compared to what we have now.”
“Treatment in the subway is XNUMXth century medicine.”
Oleg, one of the members of a group of volunteer doctors in Kiev, relates: “We are now in a war and soldiers are treated primarily by military hospitals. Our task is to look after the civilians who were unable to leave Kiev. People go to bunkers, parking lots, underground. We meet there with minor pediatric problems, toothache and emotional problems. Unfortunately today everything is disorganized due to panic, bombing and rocket attacks ».
- The Polish Medical Mission helps hospitals in Ukraine. “The most urgent dressings, splints, stretchers”
Medic emphasizes that «in Kiev the greatest threat is not so much air raids as the work of subversive groups. They fly into hospitals and residential buildings, they leave bombs there ». As he says, attacks on pharmacies, ambulances, attempts to take over medical facilities and medicines are also a big problem. Many of the actions doctors and paramedics are called to are ambushes.
«The treatment in the subway, which people use as a bomb shelter, is XNUMXth-century medicine. If someone hits you and bruises your leg, you have to do an MRI, and if your back hurts from the impact, you have to do a CT scan. Otherwise, you won’t know what kind of injury he sustained. It is essential to provide assistance at the highest level. We didn’t live to return to the Stone Age» — says the doctor.
- Sick children imprisoned in the Kiev shelter. “If it doesn’t stop, our patients will die”
At the same time, the medic emphasizes that the remaining diseases have not disappeared. Professional oncological, cardiological and many other services are still needed. The situation with the coronavirus has been relegated to the background, but there are other diseases as well. «Hospitals do not operate on an outpatient basis. Everyone is busy with the wounded and the war » — says.
The rest of the text is below the video.
A record amount of blood was donated
Sergey Gorishak, the head doctor of the hospital in Odessa, in an interview with journalists from the Meduza portal, says that Initially, medical facilities had white flags with a red cross on their roofs, but they were removed because they were just bait. They expected the flags to protect the outpost from missiles, but unfortunately that did not happen.
«We still have hospitals that treat COVID-19 because it still exists, but with far fewer patients. There are also hospitals that deal only with the treatment of combat injuries » — says.
The doctor noted that it is currently there is no shortage of medical personnel, and there are also no problems with medications. “Covid prepared us for the war, now all hospitals are autonomous and have everything they need” — adds Dr. Sergey Goriszak.
What the doctor also noted was the amount of blood donated during the first days of the war. «It’s a record» — says the doctor.
- Zelenskiy calls for blood donation. Actions are also taking place in Poland
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