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Injured crew members are being treated in Sri Lanka after the attack on an Iranian warship. Medical student Caroline Leeger works there and reports on the situation on site.
She describes how the injured were brought to the hospital and how the medical staff are dealing with the extraordinary situation.
Injured soldiers after attack on Iranian warship
When the first ambulances arrived hospital When they arrived, no one initially knew exactly what had happened. Leeger was on duty himself at the time.
“I was in the emergency room area and saw a huge crowd and a lot of police officers,” she says. “Then one ambulance after another arrived.”
Only gradually did it become clear that they were crew members of an Iranian warship that had previously been attacked. A total of 32 soldiers were taken to the hospital.
“At the time we didn’t even know that it was a military ship or a passenger ship,” says Leeger. “There are a lot of questions in the air.”
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Great security measures in the hospital
The injured ones soldiers are treated in a separate building complex. The area is strictly guarded.
“This is a separate building complex where the Iranian soldiers are,” reports the medical student. “The police are everywhere. You have to have a valid reason and are only allowed to enter the building if accompanied by the police.”
The other hospital staff also know little about the soldiers’ health. “We don’t know exactly how seriously they are injured or anything like that. We can’t even get that kind of information,” says Leeger.
Everyday hospital life continues despite the special situation
Despite the unusual event, everyday life in the hospital continues largely as normal.
“Aside from that, it’s normal hospital operations,” says Leeger. Only in the emergency room was the burden at times significantly higher. “Of course there was a lot more going on a day later because they had their hands full.”
“They’re just people”
For the medical staff, the main priority is to care for the injured.
“At the beginning I was more worried,” says Leeger. “But somewhere they’re just people – like everyone else.”
The task of the medical staff is clear: “I think that’s our job, to provide the best medical care and provide humanitarian aid.”
Uncertainty about the soldiers’ further fate
It is currently unclear what will happen to the injured soldiers after treatment.
In discussions with doctors, it became clear that the situation was also politically sensitive. “This also represents a diplomatic dilemma for Sri Lanka,” reports Leeger.
It is still unclear whether the soldiers will later be returned to Iran, handed over to other countries or remain in the country initially. “These are all questions that no one currently knows the answer to,” she says.
Exchange helps in dealing with the situation
For the local medical students, exchanging ideas with one another is particularly important. Many of them come from abroad and are following developments closely.
“We talk to each other a lot,” says Leeger. “We are dozens of medical students who are in the hospital, sharing our thoughts and experiences.”
Conversations with families at home also played an important role in dealing with the extraordinary situation.
