Kangaroo mother care supports premature babies in Gaza
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At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, medical staff are using kangaroo mother care, prolonged skin-to-skin contact with the mother, to help premature and low-birthweight babies thrive.
Rania Fadel recently held her twin son, Ilyas, against her chest after he spent nearly two weeks in intensive care. The program, launched as a pilot by Nasser Medical Complex with support from WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA, aims to improve the health of vulnerable newborns by encouraging breastfeeding and bonding.
Khawla al-Madhoun, director of nursing, explained that the practice helps babies grow and potentially leave the hospital sooner, though it doesn’t replace intensive care when needed. The hospital is working to expand the program, hoping to eventually provide at least eight hours of daily skin-to-skin contact. Gaza’s healthcare system faces severe challenges, including damaged facilities and a shortage of neonatal equipment. Before recent conflict, Gaza had 178 incubators, but now has only around 54.
Despite aid deliveries, shortages persist and are worsened by difficult living conditions for pregnant women, like displacement and food insecurity, which contribute to more premature births. Linda Abu Nasira is using the technique with her three-day-old daughter while living in a tent, hoping to aid her recovery.
