This time, not
only Berlin and Ulm hospitals where Maidan heroes were treated, but
also Hamburg Military Hospital, volunteered to accept wounded
Ukrainian soldiers. The other 14 went to military hospitals in Ulm,
Koblenz and Berlin. As promised by Angela Merkel, all the
transportation and treatment costs were covered by German side.
The
stay of Ukrainian soldiers in Germany was carefully planned by
hospital in advance in tight contact and cooperation with the
Consulate General of Ukraine in Hamburg.
Before
arrival of wounded soldiers, Consul General of Ukraine in Hamburg
Yuriy Yarmilko had an opportunity to visit the hospital. “There are
only few military hospitals in the country. This is the best place
for our men to be treated,” he said. “They have everything:
doctors with experience in combat injuries, new equipment, and
interest in our patients.”
There
are now two wards exclusively dedicated to Ukrainian soldiers. The
building of the hospital is completely new and equipped with the
latest medical technologies. Every room has a personal TV set with
Ukrainian channels and internet access, so that Ukrainian guests
could feel more comfortable in a foreign country and can contact their families. The patients are under the supervision of
specialists 24/7 with all translations provided by a certified
medical interpreter hired by the hospital and volunteers from
Ukrainian diaspora in the Hamburg area.
“German
doctors specifically chose injured who could receive maximum
treatment and expect full recovery,” said Dr. Joachim Hoitz the Chief of
the Military Hospital in Hamburg in the talk with Consul General. “We
are sorry for most critically wounded soldiers, but we know we could
not help them.”
The
group of more than 50 persons consisting of medical personnel,
doctors, and soldiers from Bundeswehr Hospital was meeting Ukrainian
soldiers at the Hamburg airport. The group included representatives of
the Consulate General of Ukraine in Hamburg, so wounded soldiers
could hear native language and understand the process of
transportation.
“I
was in the hospital in Dnipropetrovsk when they called me and asked
me if I wanted to go. I said yes, I trust German doctors,” Said
Serhiy Chumak, one of the soldiers, a resident of Donetsk who was
injured in the battle of Illovaisk, on his way to the Hamburg
military hospital.
Upon
arrival, all the soldiers went through medical examination that
continued long after midnight. Doctors checked their condition after
the flight and set the priorities for operations.
“I
was injured by the explosion on August 29 at noon near Komsomolsk and
received first aid help only eight hours later, when we got to the
hospital in Dnipropetrovsk,” said one of the patients, Vadym Bevza, Lieutenant Colonel of the National Guard of Ukraine. “After some of
us were offered treatment in Germany, Ukrainian doctors just
supported our condition but did not operate.”
Most
of Ukrainian soldiers in the Hamburg hospital have had surgeries to date,
and their condition is stable. Some of them have received qualified
medical treatment only in Germany.
“Information
about our patients having light injures does not correspond to the
facts,” said Dr. Kasakov, a member of the medical team working with
Ukrainian soldiers. “I cannot tell you the details of
treatment, but all patients have very serious war-related injuries of the musculoskeletal system that require quite a long period of rehabilitation.” He is certain that one of the most important criteria for
choosing patients for treatment in Germany was their
capacity
to endure the transportation.
According
to Dr. Kasakov, most members of staff in the Hamburg hospital is involved in the treatment of Ukrainian soldiers. Engaged in this process are laboratories,
surgeons, traumatologists, medical personnel and other staff.
“I
like German hospital,” said Andriy, 20, the youngest of the
soldiers, after being operated on Sept. 5. “The doctors explain to me
carefully things related to the treatment, what they are planning to do later on and
why.”
The Ukrainian
diaspora in Hamburg shows huge support to wounded soldiers as well. A
small group of volunteers constantly stays at the hospital and
provides help in interpreting. Ievgenia Lysak, originally from Kyiv,
has been living in hamburg for 11 years. She says she had experience in
volunteering at military hospital before, so she decided to help.
“First of all, I am a Ukrainian. I follow all the news and now I
have a chance to help,” she said as she opened a new pack of candies brought for Ukrainian soldiers, “People are
calling and writing, bringing all these presents for our heroes –
everyone is willing to help.”
Another
volunteer Florina, originally from Odesa, says that team of doctors and staff show high interest in Ukrainian patients and maximum
care. She says the wounded soldiers are happy with their treatment: “They have everything they could wish for for full recovery.”
Germany
is ready to treat more Ukrainian soldiers if the government makes an official request, Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Bundestag Hans-Peter Bartels said in Bundeswehr Hospital in Wandsbek. He says that treatment of
20 wounded soldiers might be the first, but not “the last action of this kind.”
Liudmyla Kurnosikova is official with Ukraine’s consulate in Hamburg.
