In case of accident at ZNPP, at least 190 medical institutions ready to receive patients

Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Ihor Kuzin said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"We have at least 190 hospitals contracted under the NHSU Emergency Preparedness Package ("Readiness of a health care facility to provide medical care in emergencies" - ed.) These hospitals have been contracted for the second year, previously it was a COVID-19 package, now it is an emergency preparedness package. It stipulates that a medical facility is ready to respond to chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear risks. It sets out a minimum list of medicines to provide medical care to patients who are admitted or may be admitted to such a facility. The selection of these medical institutions, their contracting and work are tied to the relevant territory to be able to hospitalize those patients who may appear there in the event of either the use of weapons of mass destruction or an accident," Kuzin said.

According to him, these medical facilities are now being additionally provided with appropriate medical devices and personal protective equipment, including through the humanitarian aid received by Ukraine.

These hospitals and their staff are also involved in exercises and practicing certain mechanisms and algorithms of interaction with other institutions in case of emergencies.

In addition, medical workers are trained in the specifics of providing medical care in the event of radiation, nuclear, chemical or biological threats.

Deputy Minister noted that each region has approved routes for patients to follow in the event of a threat.

Regarding the cases in which patients will be hospitalized in such medical institutions, Ihor Kuzin noted that this applies to emergency medical care during evacuation or in urgent conditions.

"In the event of a hypothetical accident, if an emergency occurs, a decision may be made to evacuate the population of a certain part of the territory. The decision to evacuate is made by local authorities depending on the forecast of a particular emergency. The nearest healthcare facility contracted under the disaster preparedness package will receive all patients seeking emergency medical care - heart attacks, strokes, or any injuries that occurred during evacuation activities. This assistance will be provided in full. In the event of a chemical threat, all patients in need of emergency medical care will be hospitalized in such a medical facility," the Deputy Minister explained.

At the same time, according to him, in the case of radiation threats, the Ministry of Health does not expect a significant influx of patients to such hospitals.

"Any degree of radiation sickness does not develop within one or two days, but at least within two weeks. Depending on the type, the nature of the accident, we will understand which hospitals we will need to include to provide medical care for patients with radiation sickness. And there are several options here. For a mild, moderate degree, medical institutions that are contracted under the emergency preparedness package will be involved. For extremely severe or severe degrees, the Center for Radiation Medicine, a medical institution of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, which is specialized in radiation threats and risks, will be used," Ihor Kuzin said.

As Ukrinform reported, on March 4, 2022, Russians seized the ZNPP.

On June 22, 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Russia's plans to stage a terrorist attack at the plant.

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine was carefully preparing for any scenario around Zaporizhzhia NPP.

On June 30, the Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate reported that the Russian contingent was gradually leaving the territory of the plant.

At the end of June, large-scale exercises were held in Mykolaiv, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipro regions to train emergency services to overcome the consequences of a possible terrorist attack at the plant.

On July 4, the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially warned of a possible provocation at ZNPP by Russian invaders.