Gynaecologist Svetlana Pandai would love to start work as soon as possible, in order to give something back to Ireland.

Gynaecologist Svetlana says she wants to start work ‘tomorrow’

Although she only arrived in Ireland a matter of days ago, gynaecologist Svetlana Pandai would start work in an Irish hospital “tomorrow” if she could, she says, writes Rodney Farry.

A native of the city of Kherson, which is currently occupied by Russia, before the war she and her businessman husband Mohan and their daughters (14) and (6) resided in Kyiv, where she had a busy life, juggling her practice with her role as a dean/vice director in a medical school. High achieving Svetlana (36) was also studying for her fourth degree.

She and her family arrived in Mullingar earlier this month and on the day we met last week, her youngest daughter was due to start in St Mary’s Primary School. Her other daughter is waiting to get a school place.

On the day of the Russian invasion on February 24, Svetlana and her eldest daughter were travelling from Kyiv to Kherson when they encountered two tanks that were part of a Russian military convoy. The tank drivers pointed their guns directly at their car and Svetlana and her daughter had to get out with their hands up.

They were eventually let continue on their journey, but had to wait three hours for the Russian troops to pass.

The traumatic events they witnessed in their homeland have affected Svetlana and her family. “It is hard for them [her daughters] to cope with the situation mentally. When they hear a loud noise, they ask ‘Mommy, is this a bomb?’.”

Svetlana says that she is also worried about her family, who remain in Kherson where the situation is deteriorating all the time.

“They have medical conditions and they are struggling with bills. Some bills are now four or five times bigger and it’s hard to pay. There is no work there. There has also been a delay with pensions. Every day it is getting worse,” she said.

Last week, the HSE posted an advertisement online asking Ukrainian medical and social care professionals to register their interest if they would like to work during their stay in Ireland.

Svetlana told the Westmeath Examiner through interpreter Viktoriia (see right) that she would start work “tomorrow” if she could.

“Hospital, university, no problem for me. It is very important to me... We need to be like that, because we need to give something to Ireland,” she said.