Dedication and Role Models at Oktyrka Hospital

HARRY SUSILO AND KRIS MADA FROM UKRAINE

· 5 minutes read

AFP/SERGEI SUPINSKY
A disabled man, veteran of the war with Russia, wearing a T-shirt with the emblem of the 20th Oktyrka motorized infantry battalion, walks with a woman past anti-tank Czech hedgehogs or crosses, in the center of Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on June 22, 2022.

Oktyrka’s general hospital is located 51 kilometers from the Russian-Ukraine border line. Because of its location, it became the first place affected when the Russian-Ukraine war broke out on 24 Feb. 2022. Although they were worried, the hospital employees continued to assume their duties and save the victims of the war.

"Of course I wanted to evacuate. However, if I fled, no one would have served the patients," said Alexander Lysenko (38), head of the surgery unit of Okhtyrka hospital when Kompas met him at the end of June, 2022.

Also read:

> Indonesia Bridges Communication between Russia and Ukraine

> Indonesia Offers Peacemaking Role in Russia-Ukraine War

Oktyrka is one of the small cities in Sumy, Ukraine, which borders Russia. It is located about 300 km from Kyiv, more or less equivalent to the distance between the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta and Purwokerto, Central Java. While from Belgorod, in Russia, the city is only 122 km away – almost equivalent to the distance between Monas and Gedung Sate building in Bandung, West Java.

Lysenko said he was confused and did not understand when one day many people came to the hospital where he had worked for the past 15 years. "In a few hours, 70 people came and had to be operated on immediately," he recalled the incident on 26 Feb. 2022.

He did not know what would have happened if he had joined in the evacuation a few days before. The number of victims that were taken in for operation continued to increase at a time when only half the hospital personnel were left.

Among the hospital workers were Alexander and his wife, Olga, a pediatrician. There was also Olena Lyvchenko (55), a head nurse in the surgical ward of the Okhtyrka Regional Hospital.

"In situations, I am always sought after because of my position. If I am not there, to whom will my colleagues consult? If there is no leader, how will the services be given to patients? " Said Lyvchenko who has been working at the hospital for 35 years.

Target

As the situation worsened, Lyvchenko was worried about the safety of himself and his family. Moreover, the flats where Lyvchenko lived had become the target of the bombing. His family was there when the bombing took place. "After working for years, I was accustomed to focusing [only] on work while at work. I have to focus on serving and caring for patients, "he said.

In his breaks, he would contact his family at home. Almost every time he called his family cried. They were worried about Lyvchenko's safety.

But up until the end of June 2022, no bullets had fallen on the Okhtyrka Regional Hospital, meanwhile Lyvchenko’s family was located at the Russian bombardment area. "Praise to God, all survived," he said.

His family did not evacuate even though their residence had become the target of bombing, while Lyvchenko mostly lived in the hospital throughout March and half of April. He spent most of his time at the hospital because so many victims needed help and the number of hospital employees was limited.

Throughout March-April there were only 300 doctors and nurses at Okhtyrka’s regional hospital. They were divided into various departments.

Because of the surge in patients leading to employees deciding to live in the hospital, the food and drug needs increased.

Not only personnel, the supplies of food and medicines were also limited. The war disrupted the transportation of supplies and medical equipment to the hospital for a few weeks. Because of the surge in patients leading to employees deciding to live in the hospital, the food and drug needs increased.

"There were volunteers to deliver food, medicines and other needs. Some people provided fuel when the electricity supply stopped and we had to use our own generator, "said Lyvchenko.

Besides drugs, electricity and water are vital for hospital operation. The electricity is needed to operate most of the hospital’s equipment. Water is needed for cleaning and consumption.

Lyvchenko thanked volunteers who wanted to deliver various needs to the Okhtyrka hospital when the city was hit by war. He did not know most of the volunteers.

"Their role was so important as most of the hospital personnel had to focus on their work to treat patients," said the man born in Poltava, the neighboring province of Sumy.

Victims

Since the war began, at least 400 people have undergone surgery at the Oktyrka Regional Hospital. Not all could be saved. About 100 of them died. As many as 10 people are currently being treated at the hospital.

The victims come with various conditions. Most of the victims were hit by debris from buildings destroyed in Russian attacks. Some were hit by explosives.

Most of the victims were members of Ukrainian forces in Okhtyrka and the surrounding area.

"I can't say where they came from. It is part of the military policy, "said Lyvchenko.

Some victims were also referred to other hospitals outside Okhtyrka or Sumy. The patient's condition was the main reasons for the referral. If a patient required treatment in a hospital with more complete facilities, the patient would be referred. If not, they were treated at the Okhtyrka Regional Hospital until they recovered.

Encouragement

An improvement in the health condition of patients is one of the sources of Lyvchenko’s encouragement. Like many other paramedics, he is happy to see when patient are saved and recover, moreover, if the patients can finally return home.

The war still continues and some parts of Sumy remain the target of Russian attacks.

Another thing that calms Lyvchenko is that Oktyrka is no longer the target of Russian attacks. The city near the Sumy-Kharkiv border begun to return to normal like before the war. The war still continues and some parts of Sumy remain the target of Russian attacks.

ANATOLII STEPANOV
Evacuees from the places of battles in Donetsk and Luhansk regions board a train outgoing to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, at a railway station in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region on June 15, 2022 as the Russian-Ukraine war enters its 112th day.

Every day, Sumy's martial emergency rulers reported which areas had become the target of Russian attacks. In these announcement, Oktyrka is not included. Lyvchenko hopes that Okhtyrka will continue to be excluded from the list of the targets of the Russian attacks.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi)

Editor:

NASRULLAH NARA

russia ukraine