The Cabinet of Ministers has approved guidelines for the operation of healthcare facilities depending on the level of air threat, Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyi has announced. At «yellow» alert level, hospitals will continue to admit patients, whilst at «red» alert level, patients and healthcare workers will be moved to shelters. Life-saving treatment will continue uninterrupted.
Briefly about the main points
- Hospitals will operate under the «yellow» alert level.
- Access to shelters must be provided for everyone in healthcare facilities.
- When the «red» alert level is in force, patients and healthcare workers will be moved to shelters.
- Surgeries and intensive care will not be suspended.
- Ambulances will be dispatched regardless of the threat level.
Healthcare facilities will not suspend operations under the «yellow» alert level
The new regulations apply to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Their management must ensure that staff, patients and visitors have full access to shelters, even whilst the facility remains open.
«The »yellow’ level in the tiered warning system primarily indicates a threat of a drone attack. The government has begun to implement this system in early September, so that the operating procedures of essential services would depend on the nature of the attack.
Stricter rules will apply during a «red» alert
When the «red» alert is in force, patients and healthcare workers must take shelter. The only exception is medical care where any interruption could endanger a person’s life or health.
This refers to surgical operations, resuscitation procedures, intensive care and other procedures that cannot be safely interrupted. Patients who cannot be moved quickly will be treated in the hospital’s most secure areas. It is permitted to provide care, dispense medicines and accommodate patients both there and in shelters.
«The »red’ alert is declared in the event of an increased threat, in particular during a large-scale drone, missile or combined attack.
Emergency medical care will not depend on the level of threat
Emergency medical services will operate round the clock, regardless of the air threat level declared. Dispatchers will take calls, teams will be dispatched to patients, and hospitals will admit people with urgent medical conditions.
Therefore, a «red» alert will not result in the automatic suspension of critically needed medical care.
The government has instructed that security be stepped up at critical departments
The Cabinet of Ministers has specifically instructed that physical security be stepped up in operating theatres, intensive care units, maternity wards and admissions departments. These security measures also apply to premises housing backup power supplies and critical medical equipment.
Particular attention should be paid to areas where there are patients who cannot be evacuated quickly. The decision complements the transition to a tiered air-raid alert system, under which the operation of critical infrastructure is determined by the level and nature of the threat.
