Surgery without electricity: crime or heroism?

Social networks regularly give Kyrgyz citizens a reason for stormy discussions. So, one more reason appeared over the weekend. Director of the Southern Regional Scientific Center of Cardiovascular Surgery, Professor Kaldarbek Abdramanov on his Facebook page posted a video of the operation on the heart. What's so unusual, you might ask? There was no electricity at the hospital, and surgery was carried out... by the light of torches and mobile phones.

"We are operating on the "stopped" heart in such extreme conditions! I find it hard to answer - if it's a crime or heroism? What should we do? Continue to operate, putting undue risk the life of the patient on the operating table? Subject the surgical team to stress? Stop operation, risking premature death hundreds of patients waiting for their turn? How long to wait until necessary conditions for work will be created?" he wrote.

Then followed immediate reactions. Online comments from readers have followed one after another. "Doctors - respect for your loyalty to the profession." "These are real surgeons from God. Thank them for being there." "Kaldarbek Abdramanov, you are a good fellow and professional! You certainly deserve a sincere and deep gratitude from the patient and his family and, of course, all the rescued patients." Someone described the act as heroism, and others have questioned the veracity of the situation.

"In any heart surgery with surgical handle, the patient is connected to a respirator in case if the heart stops. And many other devices that we won't enumerate. Heart surgery - a big risk." "If you look at the video, on 52 second there is a light in the other room, but there is no light in the operating room. Strange." "Actually, it looks fake. Knowing our surgeons, they will never make an operation, if there is the slightest risk. This light is still appearing in the background. Monitors work..."

Of course, there are a lot of questions. Now even conventional dentistry has generators in a case of power cut. I had a personal experience. And this Regional Research Center for Cardiovascular Surgery! Could its leadership make the operation, risking the patient's life? Why in such health facility there is no emergency generator? Especially in the country, where blackouts occur regularly and suddenly.

Kaldarbek Abdramanov commented video to 24.kg news agency. It turns out that the hospital has generator since the spring of 2014, but the equipment is not connected. "The generator was given by the Ministry of Emergency Situations. But we have no means to install it," he shrugged his shoulders. However, how much money is needed to do this, the hospital doesn't know, or maybe just didn't calculate?

"The institute operates for already four years, but we plan to pass nationalized building -Medical Center of Kadyrzhan Batyrov. But this issue is not resolved. For the past two months, we are waiting for response. It turns out that they themselves can not built at least one good hospital for 25 years, but also they can't transfer ready medical center, - complained Kaldarbek Abdramanov. - In summer we have traditionally rested and from autumn we started to treat patients, because we can't wait more. After dozens of patients need surgeries and they seek treatment too late and taken in a serious condition. We have waiting line - there are about 300 people. People come from Batken, Toktogul, Naryn."

"Basically, there are planned surgeries. We work at our own risk. In principle, the light was turned off before, but not for a long time. And this operation lasted six hours and in the midst there was an emergency power outage. We have repeatedly asked power engineers to install a separate power transformer, but they have no money. Moreover funds for these purposes aren't provided, - the professor explains. - Therefore, I had to put the video on the Internet. I understand that there will be many different conversations, but work in such conditions is impossible. We can not wait any longer."

"Some of my readers have noticed that monitors in the operating room work," he says. "The equipment works manually, Kaldarbek Abdramanov assures. - In general, our operating room is arranged with minimum contacts with outside world, without windows. This operation was very difficult, not at all centers do it. A patient is in satisfactory condition, we will discharge her soon."

The Ministry of Health Care didn't comment on the situation in the Southern Center for Cardiovascular Surgery, advising to address to Abdramanov himself. But will now in the hospital: waiting until they still give a new building, or try to find a way to install generator?

By the way, the problem with generator is relevant for other institutions as well. A few days ago the media reported that Bishkek Children's Hospital is looking for funds to carry out wiring system for generator. According to the chief doctor Talant Omurbekov, they need about 100,000 soms. Generator itself is available in the health facility - it was presented by sponsors.

According to the head of the department of medical care quality of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Heakth Care Talant Arstankulov, generators, just in case, should be in every medical organization. "But not everyone can afford it. Currently, we are checking that all dialysis units, and generators - where there should not be interrupted power supply. Ther are 7 such units throughout the republic. The equipment is installed at the expense of state budget, - he told 24.kg news agency. - The Ministry of Health permits each hospital could hold a tender and purchase generator through reallocation of own funds."

And what should do the patients, who can not afford it like "powerful" as to be treated aboard?