Evacuation is not planned: what conditions are used to treat cancer patients in Kherson after blowing up of Kakhovka dam
Patients at the Kherson Oblast Oncology Centre have refused to evacuate from the medical facility.
Source: Iryna Sokur, director of the hospital, cited by the public organisation Athena. Women Against Cancer
The Kherson Oncology Centre is the closest to the coastal line of the right bank of the Dnipro River compared to other medical facilities of the region. After the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) was blown up, an evacuation from the centre was planned, but then cancelled.
"The lower street has been flooded. There are two more streets leading to our facility and we hope the water will not reach them," said Iryna Sokur, the director of the centre.
She stated that at the moment the water is 400 metres away from the hospital site.
Yet patients have refused to transfer to other medical facilities, though drivers were ready, and the Mykolaiv Oncology Centre and local hospitals were ready to receive them.
As of 8 June the situation was stable: the water was rising more slowly than a few days ago when its level was rising by one metre in four hours.
Sokur added that the facility is ready for emergencies.
"We have electricity and water. We have gallons of drinking water and a tonne and a half of technical water. There are also water purifying stations, diesel generators and fuel, food and medicine supplies. During attacks we moved the equipment to the first floor, and we will move it to the highest floor if needed," she reported.
She stated that due to the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP, some employees of the facility have lost their houses.
The Kherson Oncology Centre also reported that until 6 June 2023 the city of Kherson was being attacked by the Russians non-stop. The building of the hospital was struck, which resulted in 46 broken windows, a destroyed façade and a damaged power generator.
There have also been human victims. On 3 May, Oleksandr Morhunov, head of the gynaecological department, was killed when he went out to buy bread after work. Nina Mohyla, a gynaecologist, was injured and suffered concussion.
Iryna Sokur stated that there are many problems with medical staffing in the centre: many doctors evacuated during the occupation and after the liberation of the city, when the Russians started attacking it.
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