Blackout in Dnipropetrovsk region: hospitals operating in critical conditions after nighttime strikes on energy infrastructure
8 January 20:51
In the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine , nighttime attacks by Russian troops on energy infrastructure caused widespread power outages. This seriously complicated the work of hospitals. This was reported by Angelina Shchors, press officer for Doctors Without Borders.
According to her, despite the lack of stable power, heat, and water supply, medical facilities continue to accept patients and provide vital assistance.
How hospitals operate during a blackout
The hospital has only intermittent electricity, and its own generators are used to provide partial power.
To meet basic needs, 10 tons of water are stored, of which 2 tons are drinking water.
Some vital equipment, such as CT scanners, cannot be powered by generators, so patients have to be redirected to other hospitals that have electricity.
Anesthesiologist Roman Gorenko reported cases of hypothermia: among the victims are elderly people who have to be warmed up and given medical assistance without stable infrastructure.
Forecast and risks
A sharp cold snap is expected in the region in the coming days, increasing the risk of hypothermia among the elderly and patients with chronic diseases.
“It’s hard to prepare for this,” say doctors, emphasizing the need for heat, water, and electricity as basic conditions for providing medical care.
What is known about the shelling of Dnipro
After massive Russian shelling and a large-scale power outage in Dnipro, a national emergency has been declared.
In Dnipro, kindergartens are operating in shifts of four hours. Schools have extended their holidays until January 11.
In addition, DTEK said that 800,000 families in the Dnipropetrovsk region are temporarily without power after the shelling. It is noted that energy companies throughout the region are working continuously to restore power. Currently, part of the critical infrastructure has been restored.
On January 7, Russia almost completely cut off power to two regions of Ukraine – Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia. The Russians launched another attack on the energy infrastructure. In particular, Dnipro was left in a complete blackout. All thermal power plants (TPPs) and substations in the region have been shut down.
