Hay Zinvor

“CURE US AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN BECAUSE WE SHOULD GO BACK”

Col Hrayr Achemyan, Head of the Central Clinical Military Hospital’s Neurosurgery Department

The Central Clinical Military Hospital is overcrowded these days. From the beginning of the hostilities, the military medical service units were brought to the appropriate level of combat readiness, staffed with the intended medical personnel. From the very first day, the hospital receives patients, performs other instrumental examinations, after which all the wounded servicemen are immediately placed in the appropriate departments. If necessary, the injured are taken to the operating room.

I am not a newcomer in the hospital. There have always been provocations by the enemy, we have considerable experience in working with the wounded. I was here in 2016. During the April hostilities, I must say that in this war, unlike in 2016, bullet wounds are rare. Most wonds are shrapnel wounds. This indicates the large use of heavy weapons. We hope that the dynamics of treatment of all patients operated on in the neurosurgery department will go well.

The medical staff performs its professional duties more than well. The priority is to save the lives of the wounded. After receiving treatment with us, we will refer them to professional rehabilitation centers, which can be of great help in the patient’s further recovery.

Our medical staff works selflessly. Rest for 10-15 minutes, half an hour, an hour. It takes a lot of organization for a military hospital to be able to perform its combat tasks. The right organizational work here is more than enough. We enter the operating room convinced that we will be able to provide full medical care. Let me mention that in addition to the hospital, our civilian hospitals also do a lot of work, which are also ready to receive patients at any time of the day, to provide the necessary medical care.

Every soldier wants to check out as soon as possible to return to the battlefield…

Capt Hamlet Gorkhmazyan, Head of Central Clinical Military Hospital’s General Surgery Department

At the general surgery department I lead, we mainly accept people with various abdominal injuries. In case of combined injuries – abdomen, chest, limbs, we carry out joint treatment with military doctors of different directions. I especially want to mention that the specialized first aid provided to the wounded on the front line gives very good results. The wounded are being taken to a stable condition. As a result, treatment is faster and more effective, and many are now recovering. No need for double surgery during this time.

Soldiers keep saying, “Doctor, cure us as soon as possible so we can go and finish our task.” Those who were slightly injured also complain, “Why did they bring us here?” They are combative, strong, good. They say, “Doctor, after these days are passed, let us gather, let us remember, let us celebrate our victory.”

Lt Col Karen Sevterteryan, Head of Central Clinical Military Hospital’s Maxillofacial Department

These days we mainly accept patients with mine and shrapnel wounds. The general condition of patients with maxillofacial injuries is usually not severe unless there is a combined injury. We mainly receive patients who have already received first aid. Our colleagues, the nurses, the maxillofacial surgeons on the front line, do a lot of hard work on the ground. We are in touch with everyone, they inform about any incident, what they managed to do. This helps a lot in further work. Civil hospitals are also very helpful, as they often carry the main burden, especially in the case of combined injuries. We are provided with everything necessary for the operations.

Psychologists do a lot of work with all the injured and have personal conversations. They also report that there is no frustration or panic among the boys. This work of psychologists contributes more to the patient’s speedy recovery.

Most of the injured try to get out at the first opportunity. We had a patient from Vardenis who demanded that we discharge him immediately after removing the foreign body from the soft tissues of his face. As soon as we noticed a positive change, we accepted his request and the soldier left for the front.

Maj Arman Hakobyan, Head of Central Clinical Military Hospital’s Vascular Surgery Department

We have quite serious cases. Bullet wounds are less than before. We have mostly fragmentary and severe explosive injuries. Our military doctors on the front line work very effectively. First of all, they stop the bleeding, as a result of which a large number of lives are saved, we are able to save the limbs of the patients.

The fighting spirit is very high. Every day during bandages and visits, we do not see any depression, even in boys who have been seriously injured. I can say that we do not have a “psychological loss”, it is very important, because it also testifies to the dedication and faith of our military and volunteers now. The medical staff also serves with the same dedication and enthusiasm.

There are many injuries, but medical professionals do their best. We have dealt with such cases before, of course not on such a scale, the experience of our military medical staff in this regard is very large. As a surgeon, I do not see any insurmountable problem. No matter how serious the patient is, we are able to provide full medical care.

These days I want peace for all of us, and for our enemy, wisdom and prudence, so that others will not try our patience. And, of course, I wish all of us victory. We will win!