Ukraine: Kent charity aims to raise £300,000 for incubators

A rise in premature births since the Russian invasion has created a shortage of incubators in Ukraine

A charity is fundraising for incubators to send to Ukraine after a rise in premature births during the war.

The United with Ukraine Appeal, started by Charlie Cawsey, from Deal, Kent, needs to raise £300,000.

Many Ukrainian hospitals have set up make-shift wards in bomb shelters.

Dr Viktor Bobyk head of neonatology at Lviv municipal hospital, said: "We have 15% more patients this month. We need to double our equipment, we need incubators in shelters too."

Maria Taratyla gave birth to triplets Vicheslav, Sviatoslav and Vladyslav in hospital three days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

Vladyslav died, and his brothers need incubators to survive, but Ms Taratyla has to take them out during air raids.

She said: "I have my backpack ready and when I hear the sirens I take my boys into the basement.

"It's a bit easier as they can breathe by themselves. Before it was so difficult as there were not so many machines that could be taken to the basement. I either had to leave them in the emergency room or take them."

Doctors say they need incubators in the bomb shelters as well as the wards

She said: "I have my backpack ready and when I hear the sirens I take my boys into the basement.

"It's a bit easier as they can breathe by themselves. Before it was so difficult as there were not so many machines that could be taken to the basement. I either had to leave them in the emergency room or take them."

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Dr Bobyk said: "We take babies by hand or transport incubators and spend one, two, three hours every day in the shelter."

The country's ministry of health contacted United with Ukraine to ask for help.

"It's a huge responsibility to get them there safely," said Mr Cawsey. "They're really advanced pieces of equipment."

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