Were it not for such centers and doctors, many children would die – says the mother of Weronika, born in the 24th week of pregnancy. The girl has recently undergone heart surgery and is under the care of Kiev doctors. The procedure was performed by specialists from the largest hospital for children in Ukraine, which was bombed by the Russians in the summer. The facility is still working, although it has been seriously damaged. About half a thousand patients are treated in it.
It was a war crime – the Ukrainian authorities say. On July 8, 2024, the Russians hit the largest hospital for children in Ukraine. At the time of the attack at the Children's Cardiology Center, the doctors performed surgery. The bullet hit the neighboring building.
– You can't stop the operation that lasts. This cannot be done when the heart has already been stopped because the patient will die – emphasizes Wadim Tkaczuk, head of the newborn intensive care department.
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“I knew that regardless of everything, doctors would carry out surgery to the end”
According to the Minister of Health of Ukraine, over 600 children stayed in the facility. Two people were killed, several dozen were injured.
– I remember how the ceiling collapsed on my head. Square panels fell on me, but the first thoughts always circulate around patients. I had to make sure that at least part of our branch operates normally – recalls Wadim Tkaczuk.
Renovation works are underway in the destroyed hospital, which is why Wadima Tkaczuk's team complex operations on the youngest and most defenseless patients are carried out in a temporary center.
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– If it wasn't for such centers and doctors, many children would die – says Anhelina Szewczuk, a premature mother. Her daughter was born in the 24th week of pregnancy. The woman was not sure if the girl would survive, because Weronika was born with a heart defect that required urgent surgery. Syrena overstated during the procedure.
– I knew that regardless of everything, doctors would carry out surgery to the end. The treatment was associated with a huge risk. My daughter is very small, she was born too early. Fortunately, he feels better and gaining weight – says Anhelina Szewczuk.
“We work in worse conditions, but we have as many patients”
Doctors say that the Russians had twice as much space before the attack. Today, they lack specialized equipment, but despite difficult conditions, they never refuse to take patients. When sirens warning against raids resound in Kiev, and residents are looking for shelter, hospital staff stay in their positions to look after seriously ill children.
– It is not possible to evacuate all patients from the intensive care department to a safe place, because some are connected to respirators and need strong drugs – emphasizes Wadim Tkaczuk.
Ukrainian hospitals had to adapt to war realities, continuous fire and intervals in power supply. According to the authorities, about 12,000 generators were distributed in institutions throughout the country to ensure continuity of action in the case of Russian attacks on critical infrastructure.
– Women give birth to children as before. We work in worse conditions, but we have the same number of patients. (…) I was optimistic when we survived the beech, and even when we could not defend Mariupol. I believed that the war would not last long, but now I am not an optimist – says Illja Jemec, a surgeon from the Pediatric Cardiology Center.
According to the World Health Organization, from February 24, 2022, Russia conducted about two thousand attacks on medical facilities throughout Ukraine.
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