Ospedali sotterranei a Kherson

**Obstetric and Gynecological Department**

The underground hospital features five exits, autonomous power supply, reserves of water and food, and ventilation. The move underground was necessitated by constant russian shelling.

*”There were cases when, after shelling, Kherson lost power, but in the shelter, we didn’t even notice. We have autonomous power: batteries, generators — everything works independently. People didn’t hear or see that there had been an attack and that part of the city was left without electricity,”* Hnylytskyi said.

Obstetric and gynecological departments have been set up underground, able to simultaneously accommodate 40 women in need of medical care. In the event of an air raid alert, the shelter can also house medical staff and residents from nearby buildings.

After the strikes on the center’s obstetric wing, the staff initially relocated to the first floor. But it wasn’t enough to guarantee the safety of staff and patients. That’s when the government and administration proposed converting the perinatal center into a full underground facility.

*”That’s how we ended up moving fully underground,”* said Petro Marynkovskyi, head of the obstetrics department.

One of the patients, Darya Bodnar, who is awaiting the birth of her child, said she feels safe there.

*”I’m already at my due date, but haven’t given birth yet. I’m staying here for observation. There’s a toilet, a shower, a place to wash — everything is here. It’s good, clean, and most importantly, it’s not scary,”* Darya shared.

Children’s Hospital

In the children’s medical facility, a shelter has been equipped that can simultaneously accommodate 60 children and 20 staff members.

*”We have a sports hall for rehabilitation purposes, and for the children staying in the shelter. Sometimes they have to stay here for a full day, so they need somewhere to burn off energy — they play table tennis, do activities. We also conduct some rehabilitation procedures here,”* said Stanislav Bumbu, deputy director for medical services.

The shelter is also equipped with an operating room and an intensive care unit. Oxygen is supplied through concentrators, and there are artificial lung ventilation devices.

*”There’s a ward for newborns, with a changing table and cradles. If a newborn is underweight and can’t maintain body temperature, we have an incubator with internal heating. There are monitors, and it’s warm,”* Bumbu explained.

At present, there are ten patient rooms underground where patients stay overnight.

*”There are showers, toilets, a playroom, a gym, a mental health room, and a kitchen. Right now, we can accommodate all the children who come to us. There’s enough space. Parents and staff also stay with them,”* the doctor said.

[https://suspilne.media/kherson/1001627-operacijni-ta-palati-v-ukrittah-ak-pracuut-pidzemni-likarni-na-hersonsini/](https://suspilne.media/kherson/1001627-operacijni-ta-palati-v-ukrittah-ak-pracuut-pidzemni-likarni-na-hersonsini/)