Amid Devastating Rocket Attack on Kiev Children’s Hospital, Medical Team Saves Baby’s LifeAmid Devastating Rocket Attack on Kiev Children’s Hospital, Medical Team Saves Baby’s Life Oleh Holubchenko and Ihor Kolodka were performing an operation on a five-month-old boy when the hospital was hit by a rocket. The explosion shattered equipment and caused significant injuries to the medical staff. Despite the dangerous conditions, the team worked together to keep the baby alive. Anesthesiologist Yaroslav Ivanov used a manual resuscitation device to revive the baby after the ventilator was damaged. The team then transported the baby to the basement, which was considered the safest area of the hospital. They eventually handed him over to doctors at another hospital for further surgery. Despite their own injuries, Holubchenko and Kolodka remained at the hospital to assist with the aftermath of the attack. The UN has stated that there is a “high probability” that the hospital was directly targeted by a Russian missile. This attack has drawn widespread condemnation from Ukraine and its allies. Despite the devastation, the medical team at Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital remains committed to providing care to the children of Kiev. Their bravery and resilience serve as a beacon of hope in these challenging times.
REUTERS
Updated on Jul 10, 2024, 10:05 AM IST
Amid a devastating rocket attack on the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kiev, the heroic medical team, including Oleh Holubchenko and Ihor Kolodka, remained resilient in their efforts to save the life of a five-month-old baby. Broken glass and collapsed equipment posed serious challenges during the operation, but the team’s quick thinking ensured the baby survived.
The UN said on Tuesday there was a “high probability” the hospital was directly hit by a Russian missile
Kiev: Oleh Holubchenko’s team was performing an operation on five-month-old Taras when an explosive wave sent the medics flying across the room.
Shards of glass tore Holubchenko’s back and his colleague Ihor Kolodka’s face. The baby remained in place on the table, surrounded by broken equipment and five bleeding adults.
“Is everyone still alive?” Holubchenko recalled shouting.
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Anaesthesiologist Yaroslav Ivanov grabbed the manual resuscitation device to get the baby breathing after the ventilator broke. Fearing the ceiling would collapse, several members of the team ran with Taras to the basement.
These were the dramatic moments after a rocket hit the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in central Kiev on Monday, shocking Ukrainians and prompting angry condemnations from Kiev and its Western allies.
The UN said on Tuesday there was a “high probability” the hospital was directly hit by a Russian missile during a series of airstrikes on Ukrainian cities that have killed at least 44 people. The Kremlin has said, without providing evidence, that it was Ukrainian anti-missile fire, not Russia, that hit the hospital, large parts of which were in ruins.
Two adults were killed in Okhmatdyt and dozens were injured. Many patients, relatives and staff had fled to basements in time to avoid the worst of the explosion.
“For me, Okhmatdyt was the safest place for children and adults. That day I realized that there are no safe places anywhere anymore,” Ivanov, 39, told Reuters by telephone on Tuesday as he recovered from a concussion and cuts.
When they reached the basement, Ivanov and his colleagues found a room where there was no smoke and where the wounded could not scream.
There they revived the baby and handed him over to a team of doctors to continue the operation at another hospital.
While Holubchenko and Ivanov were busy with Taras, Kolodka removed glass shards from his face and then ran outside to see what he could do. He saw that the toxicology department had been bulldozed.
“Since I was no longer bleeding, I went out to help the wounded and deal with the aftermath of the rocket attack,” Kolodka said.
“At that point we didn’t think about whether it was easy or hard. We just did our job and tried to help.”
After spending the rest of the day helping rescuers and soldiers sift through rubble in the dust and heat, he returned home to find no power. Power outages are now common across the country as Russia attacks the energy system.
Kolodka woke up at 5 a.m. to shower before returning to work. Holubchenko also returned to the hospital on Tuesday.
“I had to go because there was a meeting with colleagues, to see what was happening in the department and to check all the equipment,” Holubchenko said. “I … contacted colleagues from the other hospital to ask about the baby’s condition.”
Taras was told he was doing well after his surgery.
The team felt supported and grateful by the patients and community in their battle against exhaustion.
Within hours of the explosion, repair work began at the hospital, with hundreds of volunteers helping to clear broken glass, debris and damaged equipment.
“It is beautiful to see how united our people are,” said Kolodka.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Times Now staff and is from a syndicated feed.)
