When war hits a hospital: how medical teams manage in Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Israel – Europe, like most corners of the world, was completely caught out by the Covid crisis: hospitals and medical centres were not prepared for the magnitude and severity of a pandemic.

As ever, dedicated nursing staff across the continent ploughed through, and it is hoped lessons have been learnt. But there are now other crises: with wars on two borders — Ukraine and the Middle East — there is much to learn about preparing medical systems for the burden.

Eight hours in an A&E department at a major hospital in Israel, followed by a brief hospitalisation, taught me much about preparation. The ongoing war turned out to be just another layer of awareness and accommodation.

I was accompanying an aged relative who was immediately admitted. Nurses, doctors and specialists – such as mobile x-ray operators – were soon streaming around him, testing, questioning, discussing. Then everyone’s phones bleeped with alerts that a siren was about to go off, giving a cue to…