Wedoany.com Report-Nov 20, The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) handed over two new ambulances to Ukraine today to help ensure vital medical support for the people operating its nuclear power plants (NPPs) in difficult circumstances, an essential part of the IAEA’s wider efforts aimed at preventing a nuclear accident during the military conflict.

The modern and fully equipped vehicles were officially delivered during a ceremony at the Chornobyl site, whose workforce of around 2200 staff have been experiencing extremely challenging work and living conditions over the past few years, with limited capacity at the facility to care for their physical as well as mental health.

The Chornobyl site’s medical unit will receive one of the two ambulances procured with support from Norway, enabling swift and professional transportation of NPP personnel requiring hospital treatment. Until now, Chornobyl employees in need of urgent medical attention have been taken to the hospital in any available car, as the site’s old ambulance is unreliable and requires frequent repairs.

The second ambulance will be used by the Varash Hospital, located in western Ukraine close to the Rivne nuclear site, one of the country’s three NPPs currently generating much-needed electricity for households, hospitals, schools, companies, among others.

The two ambulances – equipped with the latest medical emergency technology – will strengthen the emergency response capabilities of both medical facilities.  

The deliveries are part of the IAEA’s Medical Assistance Programme for Operating Personnel at NPPs in Ukraine, launched by Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in April last year to enhance the healthcare services available at Chornobyl, as well as the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs, by providing critical care medicine and equipment.

Thanks to strong donor support, the IAEA has coordinated the procurement of medical equipment and supplies aimed at strengthening critical care capabilities and preventive and diagnostic medical care for operating personnel at nuclear sites in Ukraine. This medical aid forms part of the IAEA’s overall assistance to Ukraine.

Deliveries so far include: an ultrasound system to the city hospital in South Ukraine to enhance its diagnostic capabilities; a mobile X-ray system to the Varash Hospital; 2000 rabies vaccines to hospitals in the towns of Slavutych, Varash, Netishyn and Yuzhnoukrainsk; and 13 000 rapid tests for COVID and other respiratory infections to operating NPPs, Chornobyl, the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine (SNRIU) and Energoatom.

The IAEA has also provided other assistance for NPP personnel, including more than 500 new beds with orthopaedic mattresses for staff working in weeks-long shifts at Chornobyl, in view of the difficulties in travelling to and from their hometown of Slavutych.

“From the beginning of this tragic and devastating war, the IAEA has been focused on doing everything it can to maintain nuclear safety and security and avert the threat of a nuclear accident with potentially serious consequences for people and the environment in Ukraine and beyond,” Director General Grossi said.

“We are achieving this indispensable mission in several ways, for example, by deploying teams of experts at all nuclear power plants in Ukraine and delivering much needed spare parts and other equipment. But, equally important, we are also focusing on assisting the staff whose work we all depend on. Their physical and psychological well-being is crucial for the safe and secure operation of the nuclear power plants,” he said.

The Director General added: “None of this assistance would have been possible without the generous support of our donors”.

NPP staff facing “constant stress and pressure”

The vital role of NPP staff is recognized in the IAEA’s Seven Indispensable Pillars for maintaining nuclear safety and security during the conflict, which were outlined by Director General Grossi in March 2022. Pillar 3 states that “operating staff must be able to fulfil their safety and security duties and have the capacity to make decisions free of undue pressure.”

“The operating personnel are working under extremely difficult and stressful conditions because of military activities near the plants, fearing for loved ones on the frontlines while balancing the needs of family members, including children at home,” said Dr Liliana Salaru, Senior Medical Officer, who represented the IAEA at today’s official ceremony.

“While their professional dedication has been extraordinary, they are exposed to constant stress and pressure in a demanding and challenging environment, affecting their resilience as well as emotional and physical well-being. This can directly impact risk factors, such as sleep, concentration, decision-making and even some disease trajectories, which in turn impede the optimal performance required for operating personnel at nuclear power plants,” she said at the event, which also featured a video message from the IAEA Director General.

Ukraine’s NPP workers have also had to cope with an increased workload, as the number of available operating staff has decreased during the conflict.

Acting General Director Sergii Martynov of the Chornobyl NPP said the assistance received so far had “greatly improved the living conditions” for staff.

“It has had a positive impact on both their well-being and their ability to maintain high performance in these difficult times,” he said.

Varash Hospital Director Tetiana Latyshenko said the IAEA’s assistance with training, vaccines and equipment supplies “enable us to provide high-quality medical care to the employees of the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, their families and all members of our community.”

Apart from delivering ambulances and other medical equipment, the IAEA has been working with Ukrainian and international specialists to address a growing need for psychological assistance. Last week, for example, a well-attended mental health workshop was organized for psychologists from the NPPs in the western town of Truskavets.

“It is essential that we recognize the very stressful conditions under which the operators of these critical facilities work, and everything possible is done to protect the health of such an important workforce,” Director General Grossi said.