Praise for Police General Hospital Medical Team Performing Life-Saving Surgery Outdoors After Earthquake

Following the powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake that struck at 1:20 PM on March 28, 2025, centered in Mandalay, Myanmar, tremors were felt across several regions of Thailand—including the North, Northeast, East, Central areas, as well as Bangkok and its metropolitan area—causing widespread alarm and emergency responses.

Amid this natural disaster, a moment of heroism emerged and quickly spread across social media. Facebook user Tony Lim shared photos of a medical team from Police General Hospital performing surgery outdoors in the aftermath of the earthquake. The images sparked an outpouring of admiration online, with many calling the doctors “heroes in crisis” and flooding the comments with encouragement, especially for Dr. Waranyu Jiramarit (Dr. Toey), a specialist in colorectal surgery featured in the photos.

Dr. Waranyu Jiramarit (Dr. Toey)

Dr. Waranyu spoke with Thairath Online, explaining that the operation had already begun in the operating room when the earthquake hit. At that critical moment, the team had to decide whether to continue or halt the surgery.

“We agreed to pause the operation for safety. But at the time, the patient’s abdominal wall was still open—only covered with gauze and by hand. If we didn’t close it, the intestines could herniate externally, which would be life-threatening,” Dr. Waranyu said.

Although some may describe the procedure as an “outdoor surgery,” Dr. Waranyu clarified that it was more accurate to say the team had to continue the final, crucial step of the surgery outside the standard environment due to safety concerns. “Even during the strong tremors, we couldn’t completely stop the operation. Our priority was the patient’s life.”

Thanks to the team’s composure and swift decision-making, the patient survived and is now in stable condition.

This story stands as a powerful reminder of the dedication and courage of medical professionals who go above and beyond, even in times of extreme danger. In the face of chaos, their actions provided hope and humanity—a true inspiration for all.



Source:
Thairath.co.th