The Armed Forces of Ukraine are facing a shortage of combat medics, as well as surgeons, anesthesiologists, and operating room nurses.
This was reported at a press conference by Stanislav Yasynskyy, a representative of the Communications Department of the Medical Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Ihor Pryshchepa, a leading surgeon at the Military Medical Center in Irpin, Ukrinform reports.
To partially address the problem, the military command has increased the amount of medical training for service members during basic combined-arms training (BCAT). In addition, officials are raising the issue of releasing certain civilian medics from reservation.
According to Yasynskyy, the number of hours devoted to tactical medicine within BCAT has increased to 30 hours, and it is planned to be raised to 40. This is important because a combat medic cannot always reach positions, so service members must be able to stop bleeding on their own and provide aid to their comrades.
Pryshchepa added that doctors in shortage specialties are needed on an ongoing basis. The Medical Forces Command provides training and equipment for units, but the military still faces the problem of an uneven distribution of specialists among brigades.
Due to a critical shortage of medical personnel, the Medical Forces Command is also appealing to the Ministry of Health with a request to release certain medical workers from reservation for the army’s needs.