The KMC paediatric unit, a one-of-a-kind unit that is known internationally

The Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) paediatric unit 4 at Kalafong Hospital, which is part of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Pretoria, is a special unit that was established 20 years ago. It serves the neonatal population both locally and internationally. “UNICEF has used this unit to train health professionals from various countries such as Africa, India, Iran, Bangladesh and Pakistan,” said Dr Elise van Rooyen, Head of the Kangaroo Mother Care Unit. 

“Kangaroo Mother Care” implies that the mother is taught how to sleep with her baby on her chest, walk around and have meals while the baby is in this position. Premature babies or babies born with low birth weight receive lots of attention. KMC is also used when babies are receiving oxygen therapy. “Your baby will be placed on your chest at night and for several periods during the day. This is called intermittent Kangaroo Mother Care. As soon as your baby is off oxygen and the doctor is satisfied that your baby is stable, you will be able to do continuous KMC,” said Dr Elise van Rooyen.

Summary of benefits of the Kangaroo Mother Care programme:

• Babies stay warmer skin-to-skin than those covered in blankets or in incubators.
• Skin-to-skin touch, light pressure and warmth means that oxytocin is secreted.
• Infants feel less pain and stress.
• Babies sleep better and this helps with brain growth.
• There is better social interaction between mother and baby, better bonding and attachment between mother and baby.
• Babies do not cry all the time and are awake with their eyes open to interact with their mothers.
• Mothers have better breastmilk supply.
• Babies absorb milk better and grow faster.
• Babies become less ill, with better resistance to infections and better survival rates.

The KMC unit was opened in 1999 and various processes were researched and documented through the MRC Unit for Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies, situated at Kalafong Hospital under the guidance of Prof Bob Pattinson. The unit discovered these tangible methods that help to save babies’ lives. This includes the implementation research, implementation steps and documents that were developed to be used both locally and internationally. Locally, it has become a national strategy of South African Health Care for neonates. The provinces that receive training include Gauteng, Limpopo, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Mpumalanga, North West and the Free State. 

The KMC unit trained UNICEF and Save the Children health workers to implement and practice KMC in other countries, such as Germany, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo, Uganda, Malawi, Kenya, Indonesia, Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates. Many research projects at under- and postgraduate level have taken place at the KMC unit. 

The WHO and UNICEF and many private NGOs are funding implementation strategies on KMC implementation and practice globally as research has confirmed the many benefits for babies, mothers and hospitals. Research has also shown that it saves neonatal lives in poor and underdeveloped countries.

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