The Ukrainian Association of Ambulatory Physicians is one of the largest medical communities in our country and currently has more than 21,000 members. We are constantly in touch, especially to help each other in this stormy time. We recently spoke with some of our colleagues about how their lives have changed with the start of a full-scale war. There are stories that deserve your attention and boundless respect. We have collected some of the answers in this article, which can be found below.
With the beginning of the war on the territory of my homeland, I decided to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I am currently serving as the Chief of the Territorial Defense Battalion.
I have more than 30 years of experience, all this time I have been actively working and constantly improving my skills. Since February 26, 2022, my city, unfortunately, has been occupied by the enemy. I did not have the right to leave, because we are responsible for those who believe in us, it depends on our advice and knowledge. So I stayed in my hometown of Berdyansk. The question immediately arose - how to proceed with patients, with drugs for them, what to do with the psychological state? I turned to pharmaceutical companies and received some help. Now we accept both our patients and evacuees from Mariupol. During the reception I am not only a pulmonologist, but a doctor of all specialties.What will happen to drugs and patients is still unknown. It is very difficult morally, the occupation is terrible. But we believe in the Armed Forces! Glory to Ukraine!
I continue to work at the Kyiv City Children's Clinical Hospital №2. Our hospital is open 24/7. Provides inpatient and counseling to children on the left bank of Kyiv. Due to the problem of getting to work, I am in the hospital from Monday to Friday around the clock. Some of the staff who lost their homes are in the hospital all the time. But we all work! Sometimes it's hard, sometimes it's scary. But we are all at work!
The war changed a lot in my life. Yes, for the first time I provided medical care to the wounded with shrapnel injuries, gave birth in person. For two weeks we worked without light under constant shelling. As a chief physician, she organized work with volunteers and fuel suppliers. Together we will win!
When the fighting intensified in the capital, the Kyiv City Children's Clinical Hospital, where I worked, was evacuated. After that, my colleagues and I decided to organize a small medical center to help everyone who needs it. I also joined the local Territorial Defense.
I came to Mariupol in 1977 immediately after graduating from Donetsk Medical University. All this time I worked in public and private clinics, and from time to time I gave lectures to young colleagues. My last working day was March 5. Before that it was more or less calm, but after that hell began. I was forced to collect all the surviving drugs from the pharmacies destroyed by the shells, and surgical instruments from the medical center. This became my faithful assistants in working with victims.As it turned out, in the places where we hid, I was the only doctor for 700 people. I had to bandage the wounded, stop heart attacks, treat diabetics and hypertensives. There was also a lot of work done for pregnant women, parturients and newborns: babies who were evacuated from the destroyed maternity hospital, treated navels, women - stopped uterine bleeding. And I did all this around the clock without light, heat, communication, food or water.Unfortunately, the Red Cross did not help us, we saved ourselves. We waited for a long time for humanitarian aid, but due to active hostilities we did not wait. At our own risk, we decided to flee the city. Now I am in Lviv. I'm looking for a job, but in vain. It's scary to realize that I have nowhere else to go. After the arrival of the occupiers, no houses or even cities remained.
I contribute to the victory through volunteering. I try to help the population as much as possible with medicines and continue to provide advice to all who need it.
With the beginning of the war, I decided to defend my homeland. That's why the last time I was at home was on February 24, 22. At the moment I am in a military unit.We are proud of the wonderful, brave and loyal people around us. We want everyone to know about their daily routine feats!
More amazing stories of Ukrainian doctors who stand up for the health of our country can be read on our website in the section “How the war changed the lives of doctors in Ukraine" at the link
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