KYIV, Jan 28 (Reuters) - During an operation at Ukraine's Center for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery six months ago, an adjacent building collapsed within the compound of Ukraine's largest children's hospital in Kyiv.
Recalling the incident, Vadym Tkachuk, head of the center's intensive care unit, said, "I remember the ceiling falling down on me. But then the first thoughts are always about patients."
Currently, Tkachuk and his team are conducting complex surgeries on some of the smallest and most fragile patients in the country at a temporary location while the damaged hospital is being repaired.
For babies like Veronika, born nearly four months prematurely, the reopening of the children's heart surgery center in Ukraine could have meant the difference between life and death.
Anhelina Shevchuk, 21, Veronika's mother, expressed her gratitude, stating, "If it weren't for centers and doctors like these, I think many children would have died," after her baby underwent a critical surgery at the temporary site.
Despite operating in constrained conditions with limited space and equipment designed for pediatric care, Illia Yemets, the center's general director, affirmed, "but we keep working in those more difficult conditions without turning away any patients."
Amid air raid sirens and seeking shelter, the hospital's staff choose to remain to care for their critically ill pediatric patients even during attacks.
According to Ukraine's health ministry, over 1,900 medical facilities at 715 hospitals and clinics have suffered damages during the conflict.
To safeguard medical facilities from power outages during attacks targeting Ukraine's energy grid, authorities have installed 12,000 generators at different medical institutions.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Shevchuk expressed her trust in the medical team treating baby Veronika, noting, "She's getting better now. She's gaining weight," with a faint smile.