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Anesthesiologist Claudia Komaromy Protected a Patient During a Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake in Cali

Anesthesiologist Claudia Komaromy demonstrated professional commitment during a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Cali, Colombia. While a patient was under deep sedation awaiting brain surgery, Komaromy and her team remained in the operating room to shield the patient with their bodies as the structure partially collapsed. Komaromy noted that while the action was not a legal requirement, it was an ethical duty to ensure the patient was not abandoned during the seismic event. The earthquake caused significant damage to the University Hospital of the Valley, reducing its operational capacity by approximately 40%. The hospital is currently operating at a reduced capacity, with surgical rooms active at 50-60% following security inspections. Diego Caicedo, chief of plastic surgery at the University of Valle, confirmed that the hospital declared an alert level due to the catastrophe, prioritizing urgent cases while the facility managed the recovery from the structural damage.

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