HOSPITALS BATTLE TO CARE FOR THE INJURED
Hospitals battle to care for the seriously injured
By Rosie Uffindell
INJURIES sustained by victims of the blast ranged from serious internal chest and head injuries and burns to bone fractures and cuts from flying glass.
The Tyrone County Hospital immediately prioritised the injured to enable the most serious to be treated first.
Twenty-seven patients were still being treated at the hospital last night, spokeswoman Glynis Henry said, all of whom were described as being in an "ill but stable" condition.
"Those requiring urgent treatment were dealt with and sent as quickly as possible to other hospitals," Ms Henry said.
"Those with lesser injuries were sent to our outpatients and postgraduate centre here and to Omagh Health Centre."
Scores of those injured in the blast were taken to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, a sister hospital of the Tyrone County.
Doctors there dealt with victims suffering injuries from cuts to shrapnel wounds and broken bones.
Hospital administrator Martina Corrigan said 33 of the 69 casualties were discharged on Saturday, and six were transferred to hospitals in Belfast, but staff were still treating 19 women, eight men, two girls and one boy last night.
Three of the women remained in intensive care and a total of four patients were described as being "ill but stable".
Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry saw 24 patients, 22 of whom were admitted. Six of those were aged between 12 and 14.
Three people remained critically ill yesterday, three very seriously ill, one ill and 15 stable.
Eleven of the 24 patients sent to Dungannon's South Tyrone Hospital had to be admitted to the hospital, one as young as four, with seven needing emergency surgery. One was transferred to the Ulster Hospital yesterday afternoon.
Accident and emergency charge nurse Robert Sowney said many of the victims had multiple injuries, ranging from chest and abdominal injuries to shrapnel injuries to face and limbs.
Last night two remained in a serious but stable condition and the rest were ill but stable.
Some of the most seriously hurt victims of the bomb were airlifted by helicopter to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Twenty-two people were still being treated there yesterday, including three Spaniards. Five women, one of them Spanish, two men and a child were all described as critical last night.
Laurence Rock, accident and emergency consultant at the Royal Victoria Hospital, said most of the patients the hospital had dealt with were seriously or critically injured.
"Most of them had multiple injuries a lot of shrapnel injuries, head injuries, eye injuries, chest injuries, very bad limb injuries and a lot of people with internal organ damage," he said.
Seven people injured in the blast were being treated at Dundonald's Ulster Hospital last night, all of whom were described as being in a stable condition.
As Northern Ireland's regional plastic surgery centre, staff at the hospital were also expecting more of the injured to be transferred throughout the night and today.
And one 15-year-old Spanish girl was last night being treated at Belfast City Hospital after being transferred from the Royal.
Her condition was described as being "seriously ill but stable"
By Rosie Uffindell
INJURIES sustained by victims of the blast ranged from serious internal chest and head injuries and burns to bone fractures and cuts from flying glass.
The Tyrone County Hospital immediately prioritised the injured to enable the most serious to be treated first.
Twenty-seven patients were still being treated at the hospital last night, spokeswoman Glynis Henry said, all of whom were described as being in an "ill but stable" condition.
"Those requiring urgent treatment were dealt with and sent as quickly as possible to other hospitals," Ms Henry said.
"Those with lesser injuries were sent to our outpatients and postgraduate centre here and to Omagh Health Centre."
Scores of those injured in the blast were taken to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, a sister hospital of the Tyrone County.
Doctors there dealt with victims suffering injuries from cuts to shrapnel wounds and broken bones.
Hospital administrator Martina Corrigan said 33 of the 69 casualties were discharged on Saturday, and six were transferred to hospitals in Belfast, but staff were still treating 19 women, eight men, two girls and one boy last night.
Three of the women remained in intensive care and a total of four patients were described as being "ill but stable".
Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry saw 24 patients, 22 of whom were admitted. Six of those were aged between 12 and 14.
Three people remained critically ill yesterday, three very seriously ill, one ill and 15 stable.
Eleven of the 24 patients sent to Dungannon's South Tyrone Hospital had to be admitted to the hospital, one as young as four, with seven needing emergency surgery. One was transferred to the Ulster Hospital yesterday afternoon.
Accident and emergency charge nurse Robert Sowney said many of the victims had multiple injuries, ranging from chest and abdominal injuries to shrapnel injuries to face and limbs.
Last night two remained in a serious but stable condition and the rest were ill but stable.
Some of the most seriously hurt victims of the bomb were airlifted by helicopter to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Twenty-two people were still being treated there yesterday, including three Spaniards. Five women, one of them Spanish, two men and a child were all described as critical last night.
Laurence Rock, accident and emergency consultant at the Royal Victoria Hospital, said most of the patients the hospital had dealt with were seriously or critically injured.
"Most of them had multiple injuries a lot of shrapnel injuries, head injuries, eye injuries, chest injuries, very bad limb injuries and a lot of people with internal organ damage," he said.
Seven people injured in the blast were being treated at Dundonald's Ulster Hospital last night, all of whom were described as being in a stable condition.
As Northern Ireland's regional plastic surgery centre, staff at the hospital were also expecting more of the injured to be transferred throughout the night and today.
And one 15-year-old Spanish girl was last night being treated at Belfast City Hospital after being transferred from the Royal.
Her condition was described as being "seriously ill but stable"
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0016
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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