UNICEF calls for urgent scale-up of Kangaroo Mother Care to reduce deaths in preterm babies on World Prematurity Day

Islamabad, (TW) – On World Prematurity Day (WPD) on 17 November 2024, UNICEF calls for the urgent scale-up of Kangaroo Mother Care in Pakistan to save the lives of vulnerable babies born too soon.

Pakistan has one of the highest rates of preterm birth and neonatal deaths in the world. Over 700 newborn babies die each day in Pakistan, with over 15 per cent linked to prematurity complications.

“Every preterm baby needs access to high-quality care, no matter when, where, or how they are born,” said Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan.

“Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is one of the interventions UNICEF supports to save the lives of preterm babies. Through KMC, a mother provides continuous skin-to-skin contact between her and the baby along with covering the child in a warm blanket.  It is one of the simplest evidence-based, and most cost-effective, if not the least expensive, solutions to save the lives of vulnerable newborns. We must scale-up Kangaroo Mother Care Units to every district in Pakistan to accelerate action on reducing newborn mortality.”

KMC encourages babies to start controlling their own body temperature and warmth and strengthens the emotional bond between mother and child.

Preterm birth is one of the three leading causes of neonatal mortality in Pakistan, accounting for more than one third of all deaths in newborns. Many preterm babies who survive face lifelong disabilities due to inadequate healthcare.

Since its introduction into the Pakistani public health care system in 2019, KMC has helped save the lives of over 18,000 newborns. In collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination and provincial health departments, UNICEF has supported the establishment of KMC units in 65 public health facilities in 65 districts across the country to help premature babies survive and thrive.

Pakistan must accelerate progress and scale up the coverage and quality of evidence-based, cost-effective interventions such as Kangaroo Mother Care to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of 30 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030, from its current rate of 39 deaths per 1000 live births.

“Pre-term babies are particularly vulnerable; it is our duty to ensure they receive the quality healthcare they need to survive. Something can be done, and it must be done urgently. Everyday counts,’’ added Fadil.