Solutions to win: Ukrainian Railways unveils new medical evacuation cars for faster transportation
Photo: Facebook / Medical Forces of Ukraine’s armed forces
As part of the collaboration between Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia), the Ministry of Defense, and Ukraine's armed forces, additional medical evacuation train cars have been introduced that function as fully equipped mobile hospitals.
The command of the Medical Forces of Ukraine's armed forces reported this on Facebook.
What is the problem?
Because of the risk of aerial attacks, only 2% of wounded individuals are evacuated by air. The majority are transported by ground vehicles, though slightly more than half as many armored vehicles are available for evacuation.
Ukrzaliznytsia, from the first day of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation:
- evacuates wounded Ukrainian military personnel,
- exports civilians from regions where fighting is taking place,
- sends refugees abroad.
What is the solution?
Yevhen Liashchenko, chairman of the board of Ukrzaliznytsia, announced that the company launched its first medical car in early March 2022.
"Back then, there were no drawings or technical documentation, but there was a great need for such cars. Railway workers and doctors re-equipped the first such car in four days," he said.
As of May, Ukrzaliznytsia has already re-equipped 68 cars for medical evacuation needs over the past two years.
The cars are equipped with:
- generators for autonomous power supply,
- oxygen concentrators,
- devices for artificial lung ventilation, blood transfusions,
- cardio monitors and other equipment.
Currently, Ukrzaliznytsia has produced several more cars for medical evacuation.
Photo: Facebook / Medical Forces of Ukraine's armed forces
How does it work?
The message states that trains containing these cars are used to evacuate severely injured service members.
The equipment of such cars is comparable to the equipment of a real mobile hospital.
Photo: Facebook / Medical Forces of Ukraine's armed forces
The Commander of the Medical Forces, Major General of the Medical Service Anatolii Kazmirchuk, emphasized that qualified and timely assistance saves Ukraine's defenders every day.
"Qualified and timely assistance at all stages of medical evacuation saves our Defenders who need it daily. Thank you for your cooperation in providing quality medical care to all involved," Kazmirchuk emphasized.
Photo: Facebook / Medical Forces of Ukraine's armed forces
For reference:
As previously reported by the former Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksandr Kubrakov, the purchase is carried out partly by Ukrzaliznytsia and partly with the help of international partners, volunteers, and philanthropists from Ukraine.
According to him, the government is working to launch evacuation cars across the border to rehab military personnel in other countries.
It should be noted that for the first time, Ukrzaliznytsia showed a medical evacuation train. By the end of this year, railway workers will re-equip 8 more cars for medical evacuation.
