By Lorraine Anyango.
Healthcare workers from five referral hospitals in Kenya recently completed a training program focused on Comprehensive Newborn Care, with a strong emphasis on a new practice called Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care (IKMC).
This initiative, supported by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, saw participation from Kisumu, Kisii, Kakamega, and Bungoma Counties Referral Hospitals. The 28 participants were equipped with the knowledge and skills to champion IKMC as a vital tool for improving the lives of premature babies.
Kangaroo Mother Care: Benefits Beyond Traditional Care
IKMC goes beyond traditional maternal care by promoting skin-to-skin contact between a mother (or another family member) and a preterm baby. This close contact offers a range of benefits for the infant, including:
- Improved health outcomes: IKMC can stabilize heart rate, breathing, and temperature in premature babies.
- Enhanced breastfeeding: Skin-to-skin contact encourages successful initiation and continuation of breastfeeding.
- Emotional well-being: IKMC fosters a strong bond between baby and family members, reducing stress levels for both the infant and mother.
Training Equips Healthcare Workers for Comprehensive Care
The training program covered a wider range of newborn care topics beyond IKMC. This included:
- Newborn resuscitation: Techniques for reviving newborns experiencing breathing difficulties.
- Apnea of prematurity: Recognizing and managing pauses in breathing common in premature babies.
- Oxygen therapy: Proper use of oxygen to support breathing in newborns.
- Pulse oximetry: Measuring blood oxygen levels using a pulse oximeter.
- Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (B-CPAP): Providing respiratory support with a gentle flow of air.
- Management of neonatal jaundice: Treating the yellowing of a newborn’s skin due to excess bilirubin.
- Fluids and feed management: Ensuring proper hydration and nutrition for the newborn.
- Management of neonatal hypoglycemia: Treating low blood sugar levels in newborns.
Mentorship Ensures Skill Implementation
Following the training, participants received a guide to facilitate mentorship and practical application of the learned skills. Hospital teams will undergo mentorship programs, allowing them to practice these techniques with real patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NBU). Additionally, the NBU will be reorganized to support the implementation of these best practices.
This initiative highlights Kenya’s commitment to improving newborn care through innovative practices like IKMC. By equipping healthcare workers with the necessary knowledge and skills, this program aims to ensure better health outcomes for premature babies across the region.
