November 2023 marks the 19th month of war between Russia and Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, on February 24, 2022, the U.N. reports as of September 2023 that 9,701 civilians have been killed and 17,748 injured. Of these deaths, 545 are children. Between May and August of 2023, child casualties have increased more than 7%, as compared to early 2023, due to increased Russian attacks. The nonprofit Embrace is distributing portable infant warmers in Ukraine to provide babies with lifesaving warmth to keep them alive in such harsh environments.

A Loss of Medical Care

Dr. Rodwan Abouharb of University College London has researched the causes of death during the war and has found that beyond the deaths from actual fighting, food shortages, disease and decreased access to medical care are the leading causes. The Ukrainian government now needs to redistribute funds from health care to defense, creating more inaccessibility to proper medical services for civilians. 

Russia has targeted health care facilities throughout the war, including maternity hospitals. The World Health Organization has recorded 859 attacks on such facilities. The March 9, 2022, missile attack on Maternity Hospital #3 in Mariupol became known as one of the most horrific instances of mother and infant endangerment.

Lifesaving Baby Bundles

The American nonprofit Embrace has saved over 475,000 babies globally with its portable incubators, known as Embrace Warmers. Infant deaths often occur due to complications regulating body temperature, and premature babies are especially at risk. Embrace Warmers provide the necessary temperature control at a fraction of the cost of traditional incubators, which often cost more than $20,000. 

These innovative incubators are also portable, a significant advantage in war-torn, impoverished areas such as Ukraine where medical care must often be offered in places other than a hospital. They are also reusable, intuitive to use, able to work without stable electricity and feature easy-to-clean antimicrobial fabric.

Impact in Ukraine

CEO and co-founder of Embrace, Jane Chen, says the company’s GoFundMe fundraiser, launched back in 2022, quickly raised her goal of $600,000 to manufacture the incubators and distribute them to babies in need in Ukraine. Global shortages delayed the production process early on but a production company in India helped manufacture the incubators as quickly as possible and prepared them to be shipped to Ukraine by September 2022. Flexport Inc., a logistics and supply-chain management company, became one of Embrace’s biggest supporters by shipping the incubators pro bono.

One of the biggest challenges was distributing the Embrace Warmers in Ukraine on the ground to medical staff whose everyday operations are severely disrupted by the war. Embrace’s partnership with UNICEF has brought 150 incubators to hospitals in cities including Dnipro, Sumy and Pokrovsk. Hope, Nova Ukraine and the National Humanitarian Aid Agency in Zdorovi have also been instrumental in distribution.

Chen estimates that the Embrace Warmers in Ukraine have saved over 15,000 babies over the last year as the company continues to donate incubators monthly. “Providing assistance to vulnerable newborns on their first day of life is really special, and also to be able to bring hope to this next generation of Ukrainians, to their families, loved ones and caretakers,” said Chen. Embrace has received many letters from Ukrainian medical facilities expressing gratitude for the lifesaving devices.

The war wages on, but infant warmers in Ukraine are saving lives. Due to these portable incubators, parents, doctors and nurses can rest easier knowing that infants can be easily transported and cared for even during the toughest times. 

– Isabella Rothe
Photo: Flickr