- After Russian missiles struck Lviv, blackouts meant that a Ukrainian surgeon could only use his headlamp to perform surgery.
- He stated that the time it took for the generator to turn on and off could have been fatal.
- Russia continues to strike Ukraine’s electricity grid, leaving 25% of the city without power.
Dr. Oleh Duda had just finished a dangerous and complex surgery when the lights went out in the operating room.
A surgeon for cancer who works at Lviv, Ukraine According to the Associated PressHe heard the explosions while he was performing on a patient.
A blackout erupted in the hospital shortly after the noise. This included the operating room where the patient was lying open on the table.
The AP reported that Duda couldn’t stop what he did, and that he had to continue with the operation with just the headlamp.
Fortunately, according to the AP, the generator at the hospital kicked in just three minutes later.
Duda stated to The Associated Press, “These fateful minutes could cost the patient his existence.”
The blackout that occurred during November 15 surgery wasn’t limited to Lviv. According to the AP, it was caused by another Russian missile strike against Ukraine’s power grid. The strike caused damage to nearly half the country’s power grids.
Duda stated to the AP that the explosions happened so close by the hospital that “the wall was shaking.” The hospital basement was the safest place for patients and doctors, which is a common practice every time the sirens sound.
The strikes have continued ever since with a November 23 strike leaving even more people without power, water or access to public transportation in Ukraine. The AP reported.
According to the World Health Organization, a quarter of the people living in Ukraine — roughly 10 million people — were without power after the November 23 strike. Since then, water and power have been restored. According to the Kyiv Independent.
According to the AP, the healthcare system in Ukraine has suffered a significant hit from the damage. Surgery are being delayed, patient records are not available due to internet outages, paramedics rely on flashlights to examine patients in their secluded apartments.
The AP reported that only 10 of the 40 scheduled surgeries in the Lviv hospital were performed on November 15th.
Last week, surgeons from Kyiv’s Heart Institute were forced to continue operations on a child’s heart because of a blackout. According to a video posted on the organization’s Facebook Page.
According to the AP video, Dr. Boris Todurov was the director of the institute. He said, “Rejoice Russians, a baby is on the dining table and during an opera the lights have gone completely out.” “We will now turn on the generator — unfortunately, it will take a few minutes.”
The Associated Press reported on broken generators and medical machinery in hospitals across Ukraine, and stories about nurses transporting wounded patients to operating room when the elevators were not functioning due to blackouts.
According to the World Health OrganizationIn a statement, last week, the Ukrainian government stated that “this winter will pose a threat to the lives of millions of Ukrainians” and called the coming season a “formidable test for both the Ukrainian health system as well as the Ukrainian people.”
According to the WHO, Ukraine’s health system faces its worst days in war thus far. It is now also a victim to the energy crisis, having been through more than 700 assaults. It is under attack from all directions, with the patient as the ultimate victim.
