In the Instagram takeover, a doctor working in Kharkiv put up stories of infants and pregnant women who have been hit by war
David Beckham, an ambassador for UNICEF, urged his 71.8 million Instagram followers to donate to those hit by war in Ukraine. AFP
The world is standing with Ukraine as the Russian offensive continues. Celebrities across the globe are doing their bit, some by speaking out on the war at award ceremonies, others by condemning the attack on social media. Football superstar David Beckham went a step ahead and handed over his Instagram account to a doctor in Ukraine.
Beckham’s account was handled by a doctor from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which has been devastated after Russian bombardment. Throughout Sunday, Dr Iryna showed the former England captain’s 71.8 million followers, conditions under which she was working along with her colleagues. Head of a prenatal centre, the doctor who is identified by her first name, posted videos of the work medical professionals were undertaking amid the conflict.
Dr Iryna posted moving videos that showed infants being treated, and a basement where patients were holed up to escape shelling.
Beckham is a UNICEF goodwill ambassador since 2005 and the takeover was organised by the agency that works for the betterment of children.
Working 24X7
Dr Iryna, who works as a paediatric and an anaesthesiologist apart from running the centre, said that since the invasion her work has been on 24X7. Her team, she said, was probably risking their lives, but “we love what we do”.
She posted Instagram stories and wrote, “On the first day of the war, all pregnant women and mothers were evacuated to the basement. It was a terrible three hours that we spent together.”
The doctor spoke about babies in intensive care who could not be moved even as the attacks continued because they depended on life-saving equipment.
Dr Iryna posted a video of a young mother, Yana, holding her son Mykhailo, who was born with breathing trouble. The baby, born on the second day of the war, is much better now, but his family’s house has been destroyed, reports Reuters.
“The first days were the most difficult. We had to learn how to work with bombings and strikes,” the doctor said.
It’s been a tumultuous week for Dr Iryna and her team but her work is far from over. Apart from attending to patients, she unloads cargo, figures out the logistics, and even provides emotional support to all around her. “Doctors and nurses here, we worry, we cry but none of us will give up.”
Beckham’s plea
As the medics continue their commitment, Beckham has launched an emergency plea to help provide aid to those affected by the war. He urged his followers on Instagram to donate to UNICEF, which is working to provide clean water and food to families caught in the conflict. It is also ensuring that child protection services are not hampered.
“Thanks to your donations, the oxygen generators they have received are helping newborns survive in appalling conditions,” Beckham said. “Please continue to support these incredible people and charities like UNICEF in any way that you can. Together we can really make a difference.”
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Three week ago, just after the invasion, the father of four, appealed for help for the children of Ukraine. “The situation in Ukraine is devastating and terrifying for its people. Like any parent it is heartbreaking to see the effect on the innocent children that are now living in a war zone. As the conflict escalates, so do the needs of children,” he wrote in an emotional post.
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Beckham and his wife Victoria have also made a personal donation to UNICEF.
With inputs from agencies
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