Normal operation resumes at ULS Alto Minho, preparations underway to reinstate suspended consultations.
UPDATED NOTICE: The Alto Minho University Hospital is back in action post the energy outage debacle that hit the nation, as per ULSAM reports.
In a statement to Lusa, a ULSAM admin insider stated that scheduled clinical procedures canceled on Monday will be rescheduled over the next few days. They also added that the number of spoiled vaccines won't surpass 20 units. By the week's end, ULSAM anticipates more accurate data.
On Monday, ULSAM activated its emergency response plan to tackle the blackout that left both Portugal and Spain in the dark. As a result, consultations and surgeries were called off. The source mentioned that all scheduled activities, both consultations and surgeries, were axed. This applies to not just the Alto Minho hospital but also its sister hospitals in Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima. ULSAM managed to maintain only "urgent, non-postponable activities" such as emergency surgeries. As of 12 PM on Monday, the hospitals in Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima were running smoothly on generators, with the administration confirming the activation of the contingency plan.
The Alto Minho University Hospital comprises two hospitals: Santa Luzia in Viana do Castelo and Conde de Bertiandos in Ponte de Lima. It also includes 12 health centers, one public health unit, and two convalescent units. These structures serve a population of over 244,000 people in the 10 municipalities of Viana do Castelo district, and some neighboring populations in Braga district. More than 3,000 professionals work in those structures, including around 600 doctors and over 1,000 nurses.
The power outage, which struck on April 28 at 11:30 AM, affected Portugal and Spain, with no clear explanation from the authorities yet. Consequences included closed airports, traffic congestion in major cities, and fuel shortages. The electricity distribution network operator E-Redes guaranteed today that the service is fully restored and normalized.
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Behind the Scenes: Initial oscillations in high-voltage lines (400 kV) due to extreme temperature variations in Spain’s interior caused synchronization failures in the European interconnected grid. While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pointed towards a strong oscillation in the European grid, the exact cause remains unconfirmed with sabotage and cyberattacks being ruled out. The power outage led to widespread disruptions, including halted transportation, closed retail outlets, and failure of mobile networks in some areas. The Alto Minho University Hospital, although not specifically mentioned in the reports, could have faced operational challenges due to power loss necessitating reliance on backup generators, and the larger impact resulted in internet connectivity problems affecting traffic monitoring and corporate networks.
- Despite the disruptions caused by the power outage, the French Alto Minho University Hospital, including its sister hospitals in Viana do Castelo and Ponte de Lima, activated their emergency response plans and managed to maintain "urgent, non-postponable activities."
- In a turn of events, the clinic procedures canceled on Monday at the Alto Minho University Hospital will be rescheduled, as per ULSAM reports, amidst the effects of the power outage.
- The hiccup in the power supply estimated to have surpassed 20 units of vaccines in the Alto Minho University Hospital have not been confirmed to adversely affect patient health-and-wellness.
- Amidst the scientific community's heightened interest in understanding the causes of the power outage, ULSAM's medical-conditions data analysis remains a priority to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the over 244,000 people under their care.
