Medical reserve

The Health Committee mobilized ambulance doctors and psychologists

Despite the fact that all day yesterday the authorities denied reports of an impending assault, the capital's medical services were preparing for the worst-case scenario. The Moscow Health Committee “mobilized” all available emergency medical teams. As the committee explained to the Vremya Novostei newspaper correspondent, doctors are constantly on duty next to the Theater Center building, where terrorists have been holding hostages for the second day. 16 ambulances are on high alert to provide first aid to victims if necessary. Three cars are now on duty directly outside the theater, two more are at the nearby school, which was turned into a rehabilitation center in a few hours, the remaining 11 teams are concentrated at the entrances to the building seized by terrorists, along Melnikov and 1st Dubrovskaya streets. According to the press secretary of the health committee, Lyubov Zomova, this number of medical assistance teams is quite sufficient and meets all the necessary requirements in case of an emergency.

At the same time, starting last night, all the capital’s hospitals began to prepare for the possible reception of hundreds of patients. Already yesterday, in case of a tragic development of events and an influx of wounded, special reserve wards were vacated. This affected primarily specialized clinics equipped with the latest resuscitation equipment: for example, the Research Institute of Emergency Medicine named after. N.V. Sklifosovsky. Despite the fact that no instructions were received from the capital’s leadership about urgently freeing up beds for possible victims of terrorists, doctors at the research institute yesterday morning offered to discharge patients whose condition allows them to continue their treatment at home. According to the Vremya Novostei newspaper, a similar situation was observed in several other medical institutions in the city. At the same time, the health committee assures that “none of the undertreated patients are being discharged on purpose, everyone is working as expected, and patients already in hospitals are receiving appropriate treatment.”

Just in case, the hospital for veterans of the Great Patriotic War, located in close proximity to the building where the hostages are being held, was completely evacuated. About 500 patients of this medical institution are distributed among city hospitals, where they are treated according to existing doctor's orders.

But so far, fortunately, there are no prerequisites for a sharp influx of patients. Over the past 24 hours, 74 requests for medical assistance were received from people in the area of ​​the Theater Center building. Two people were hospitalized (in particular, the producer of the “Nord-Ost” show, Alexey Ivashchenko, with broken limbs), the remaining 72 citizens were given assistance on the spot. Basically we are talking about relatives of hostages remaining in the hands of terrorists. However, for now the main work falls on psychologists. Five teams of psychologists have already been sent to the rehabilitation center to work with freed hostages and relatives of hostages. And it is likely that the number of specialists working in stressful situations in the Theater Center area will be increased today. In addition, consultation with specialist psychologists and psychotherapists can also be obtained by telephone at the Moscow Center for Protection from Stress. Hotline number: 991-77-71.

Anna ShPAK