Nurses Risk Lives to Protect Newborns During Tragic Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
As the death toll from a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria continues to rise, a viral video shows two nurses in Gaziantep, Turkey, putting their own lives at risk to protect the newborn babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).[0] The clip, which has been shared by Turkey politician Fatma Sahin, shows Devlet Nizam and Gazel Çalışkan entering the NICU when the shaking starts and quickly grabbing the incubators to keep them from falling.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has praised the two nurses for their selfless act of courage and humanity, with the ICN president Dr Pamela Cipriano saying, “Amid the tragedy, destruction and deaths caused by the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, it is not at all surprising to see the bravery of these nurses who ran towards their tiny patients.”[1]
The video has also been widely shared on social media, with users calling them “angels on earth” and expressing their love and gratitude for the care they provided to the babies.[2] Meanwhile, an investigation is currently underway to examine the role of illegal and shoddy construction methods in the collapse of buildings and the rising death toll.[2]
The death toll in Turkey is currently at 24,617 and rising by the day, making it the country's deadliest earthquake since 1939.[3] Since Friday, the number of deaths in Syria has risen to more than 3,500 with no further updates.[4] As rescue operations continue in the two countries, the incident in Gaziantep serves as a reminder of the courage and compassion of individuals willing to put others before themselves in times of crisis.[5]
0. “Watch: Nurses clutch onto newborns as earthquake shakes hospital in Turkey” Hindustan Times, 12 Feb. 2023, https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/watch-nurses-clutch-onto-newborns-as-earthquake-shakes-hospital-in-turkey-101676209717510.html
1. “Nurses rushed to save babies in incubator as earthquake struck Turkey. Watch” The Indian Express, 15 Feb. 2023, https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/nurses-rushed-to-save-babies-in-incubator-as-earthquake-struck-turkey-watch/
2. “Turkey earthquake: video of two nurses protecting newborns amid tremors wins hearts” Firstpost, 13 Feb. 2023, https://www.firstpost.com/world/viral-video-shows-nurses-going-out-of-their-way-to-save-babies-during-turkey-earthquake-12146312.html
3. “Turkish nurses Devlet Nizam, Gazwl Caliskan praised for protecting infants in incubators during 7.8 magnitude earthquake” Opoyi, 12 Feb. 2023, https://opoyi.com/world/turkish-nurses-devlet-nizam-gazwl-caliskan-praised-for-protecting-infants-in-incubators-during-7-8-magnitude-earthquake
4. “Video: How Nurses At Turkey Hospital Protected Newborns When Earth Shook” NDTV, 12 Feb. 2023, https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/watch-turkish-nurses-prevent-baby-incubators-from-tripping-over-during-earthquake-3775354
5. “Heartwarming video goes viral: Nurses protect newborns during turkey-syria earthquake | Sara Irshad” NewsBreak Original, 13 Feb. 2023, https://original.newsbreak.com/@sara-irshad-1602721/2923267208517-heartwarming-video-goes-viral-nurses-protect-newborns-during-turkey-syria-earthquake
