The war in Ukraine has led to a surge in preterm births in health centers, said global health agency Unitaid, which sent oxygen therapy machines to help the babies.
• Also read: Two new ships loaded with grain leave Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine “raises stress levels in pregnant women, leading to an increase in reported preterm births,” Unitaid spokesman Hervé Verhoosel told a news conference in Geneva.
“Premature babies are more likely to develop respiratory, neurological or digestive complications – conditions that often require oxygen therapy,” he explained.
Unitaid sent 220 oxygen delivery devices and 125 oxygen blending systems (to regulate concentration). They are now available at 25 centers across the country, 17 of which are perinatal centers.
“In some hospitals that our partners spoke to during training on how to use the devices, there have been increases from 12% to 40%,” explained Verhoosel.
“But we have to put things into perspective a bit. At the moment, given the situation, many more traditional and uncomplicated births are not taking place in hospitals that take on more difficult cases. This contributes to the percentage increase. But the increase is real,” he told AFP.
The conflict in Ukraine has damaged or destroyed many hospitals.
“This puts thousands of newborns at high risk of disability or death because they lack access to oxygen, necessary equipment and essential treatment,” the Unitaid spokesman said.
To date, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified 434 attacks on health services since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 366 of which have hit health facilities.