{"id":25423,"date":"2024-11-20T17:56:54","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T12:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/?p=25423"},"modified":"2024-11-20T17:57:42","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T12:12:42","slug":"iaea-boosts-medical-assistance-to-ukraine-nuclear-sites-with-delivery-of-two-ambulances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/iaea-boosts-medical-assistance-to-ukraine-nuclear-sites-with-delivery-of-two-ambulances\/","title":{"rendered":"IAEA Boosts Medical Assistance to Ukraine Nuclear Sites with Delivery of Two Ambulances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
IAEA delivered two new ambulances to Ukraine on 19 November, 2024, in a ceremony held at the Chornobyl site.\u00a0<\/em>IMAGE: IAEA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) handed over two new ambulances to Ukraine today to help ensure vital medical support for the people operating its nuclear power plants (NPPs) in difficult circumstances, an essential part of the IAEA\u2019s wider efforts aimed at preventing a nuclear accident during the military conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modern and fully equipped vehicles were officially delivered during a ceremony at the Chornobyl site, whose workforce of around 2200 staff have been experiencing extremely challenging work and living conditions over the past few years, with limited capacity at the facility to care for their physical as well as mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chornobyl site\u2019s medical unit will receive one of the two ambulances procured with support from Norway, enabling swift and professional transportation of NPP personnel requiring hospital treatment. Until now, Chornobyl employees in need of urgent medical attention have been taken to the hospital in any available car, as the site\u2019s old ambulance is unreliable and requires frequent repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second ambulance will be used by the Varash Hospital, located in western Ukraine close to the Rivne nuclear site, one of the country\u2019s three NPPs currently generating much-needed electricity for households, hospitals, schools, and companies, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two ambulances \u2013 equipped with the latest medical emergency technology \u2013 will strengthen the emergency response capabilities of both medical facilities.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deliveries are part of the IAEA\u2019s Medical Assistance Programme for Operating Personnel at NPPs in Ukraine, launched by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in April last year to enhance the healthcare services available at Chornobyl, as well as the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne, and South Ukraine NPPs, by providing critical care medicine and equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to strong donor support, the IAEA has coordinated the procurement of medical equipment and supplies aimed at strengthening critical care capabilities and preventive and diagnostic medical care for operating personnel at nuclear sites in Ukraine. This medical aid forms part of the IAEA\u2019s overall assistance to Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deliveries so far include\u00a0an ultrasound system<\/a>\u00a0to the city hospital in South Ukraine to enhance its diagnostic capabilities; a mobile X-ray system to the Varash Hospital; 2000 rabies vaccines to hospitals in the towns of Slavutych, Varash, Netishyn and Yuzhnoukrainsk; and 13 000\u00a0rapid tests<\/a>\u00a0for COVID and other respiratory infections to operating NPPs, Chornobyl, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) and Energoatom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IAEA has also provided other assistance for NPP personnel, including more than 500 new beds with\u00a0orthopaedic mattresses<\/a>\u00a0for staff working in weeks-long shifts at Chornobyl, in view of the difficulties in traveling to and from their hometown of Slavutych.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom the beginning of this tragic and devastating war, the IAEA has been focused on doing everything it can to maintain nuclear safety and security and avert the threat of a nuclear accident with potentially serious consequences for people and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,\u201d Director General Grossi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are achieving this indispensable mission in several ways, for example, by deploying teams of experts at all nuclear power plants in Ukraine and delivering much-needed spare parts and other equipment. But, equally important, we are also focusing on assisting the staff whose work we all depend on. Their physical and psychological well-being is crucial for the safe and secure operation of the nuclear power plants,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Director General added: \u201cNone of this assistance would have been possible without the generous support of our donors\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NPP staff facing \u201cconstant stress and pressure\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vital role of NPP staff is recognized in the IAEA\u2019s\u00a0Seven Indispensable Pillars<\/a>\u00a0for maintaining nuclear safety and security during the conflict, which were outlined by Director General Grossi in March 2022. Pillar 3 states that \u201coperating staff must be able to fulfill their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe operating personnel is working under extremely difficult and stressful conditions because of military activities near the plants, fearing for loved ones on the frontlines while balancing the needs of family members, including children at home,\u201d said Dr. Liliana Salaru, Senior Medical Officer, who represented the IAEA at today\u2019s official ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile their professional dedication has been extraordinary, they are exposed to constant stress and pressure in a demanding and challenging environment, affecting their resilience as well as emotional and physical well-being. This can directly impact risk factors, such as sleep, concentration, decision-making and even some disease trajectories, which in turn impede the optimal performance required for operating personnel at nuclear power plants,\u201d she said at the event, which also featured a video message from the IAEA Director General.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukraine\u2019s NPP workers have also had to cope with an increased workload, as the number of available operating staff has decreased during the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acting General Director Sergii Martynov of the Chornobyl NPP said the assistance received so far had \u201cgreatly improved the living conditions\u201d for staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has had a positive impact on both their well-being and their ability to maintain high performance in these difficult times,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Varash Hospital Director Tetiana Latyshenko said the IAEA\u2019s assistance with training, vaccines, and equipment supplies \u201cenable us to provide high-quality medical care to the employees of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, their families, and all members of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from delivering ambulances and other medical equipment, the IAEA has been working with Ukrainian and international specialists to address a growing need for psychological assistance. Last week, for example, a well-attended mental health workshop was organized for psychologists from the NPPs in the western town of Truskavets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is essential that we recognize the very stressful conditions under which the operators of these critical facilities work, and everything possible is done to protect the health of such an important workforce,\u201d Director General Grossi said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

he International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) handed over two new ambulances to Ukraine today to help ensure vital medical support for the people operating its nuclear power plants (NPPs)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":25424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,314],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-society"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance.jpg",1100,825,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-200x200.jpg",200,200,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-533x400.jpg",533,400,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-768x576.jpg",750,563,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-675x506.jpg",675,506,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance.jpg",1100,825,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance.jpg",1100,825,false],"ultp_layout_landscape_large":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-1100x800.jpg",1100,800,true],"ultp_layout_landscape":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-870x570.jpg",870,570,true],"ultp_layout_portrait":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-600x825.jpg",600,825,true],"ultp_layout_square":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-600x600.jpg",600,600,true],"newspaper-x-single-post":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-760x490.jpg",760,490,true],"newspaper-x-recent-post-big":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-550x360.jpg",550,360,true],"newspaper-x-recent-post-list-image":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance-95x65.jpg",95,65,true],"web-stories-poster-portrait":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance.jpg",640,480,false],"web-stories-publisher-logo":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance.jpg",96,72,false],"web-stories-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/ambulance.jpg",150,113,false]},"author_info":{"info":["RevoScience"]},"category_info":"News<\/a> Society<\/a>","tag_info":"Society","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25423"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25426,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25423\/revisions\/25426"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25423"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.revoscience.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}