Premature, Low Birth Weight Babies: Kangaroo Slashes Mortality By 50 Per cent

Before now, babies in the East Region of Cameroon – like in most parts of the country – who were born premature or with weights of less than 2.5 kg, had little or no chances of survival. Because of the non-existence of incubators in most medical facilities. And where they existed, frequent power outages only added to the woes of anxious parents of these children. But the Kangaroo Mother Care, KMC project run in the East Region since two years ago is gradually turning the tides.
“Improving access and quality of newborn care in five health districts of the East Region from 2018-2020” is sponsored by the Korean National UNICEF Committee. Implemented by the East Regional Delegation of Public Health and the Cameroon Kangaroo Foundation, the project has since saved thousands of lives. It has also received technical and financial assistance from UNICEF Cameroon.
Evaluation is still going on to determine the full impact of the project, but Ottop Francisca Manyi epouse Anchie, Focal Point for Newborn Care, East Regional Delegation of Public Health, says from her observation, much has been achieved. “If preterm and low birth weight children before the project were dying at the rate of 80 per cent or 90 per cent, today it as low as 40 per cent. This is because a great majority of parents continue to follow KMC instructions after leaving hospital,” Ottop explains.
Nalé Germaine epouse Bombo, Matron of the Neonatal Ward of Bertoua Regional Hospital, who received KMC training in Laquintinie Hospital, Douala, concurs. “Before receiving the training, we used to lose many premature babies and those with low birth weights. But with KMC, we are 100 per cent sure of raising a baby weighing only 600 grammes or 700 grammes to 5 kg and even 8 kg,” Nalé Germaine explains with a feeling of fulfillment.
“Before the introduction of KMC, we lost about six out of every 10 premature and low birth weight babies, giving a mortality rate of 60 per cent. Since KMC went effective, the mortality rate has dropped to 20 per cent for babies born out of our hospital and brought to us late already with complications. But babies delivered by our hospital have so far recorded 100 per cent survival rate, thanks to KMC,” Nalé stresses.
A similar success story obtains in Protestant Hospital, Garoua Boulai, some 244 km from Bertoua on the border with the Central African Republic, CAR. Dr Mwam King Rugambwa, Deputy Director, says the survival of newborn depends on their weights. “Those weighing less than a kilogramme are not likely to survive if not quickly referred to Bertoua Regional Hospital because we do not have incubators. These on...