Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
These images show doctors in surgery using the lights from their mobile phones to be able to see what they are doing during a power cut in Brazil.
The startling incident occurred at the Maternidade Dona Evangelina Rosa hospital in the city of Teresina in the northeastern Brazilian state of Piaui after a power cut hit in the area.
The hospital’s management told reporters that because the hospital has a “three-phase” energy supply, the backup generators did not recognise the power cut as only one of the phases was affected, meaning they did not begin working after the cut.
In the images, doctors can be seen working on a patient, seemingly performing surgery using the light from a mobile phone torch. Local media report surgeries were performed using mobile phone torches during the power cut.
Reports state the hospital was without electricity from 1:30pm until 6pm on the 4th of October, with power cuts in the region caused by heavy storms.
The hospital management told reporters: “Immediately after becoming aware of the instability of the energy supply in the Surgery Centre, the maintenance team switched off the main switch and the generator was turned on and worked normally.”
The President of the Syndicate of Doctors of Piaui (SIMEPI) Samuel Moreira Rego wrote on social media that the hospital had been “working with the light from mobile phone torches” and added: “Until when are the managers going to disregard the public health system of our people? Overloaded doctors are working at the limits of stress to fulfil their mission of saving lives.”
The electricity supply in the region is reportedly still affected but the hospital is working with the electricity from its generators.
It is unclear the exact surgeries that were reportedly carried out using the light from mobile phone torches.
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