March 17, 2021

Anna Murray 

Researchers affiliated with World Health Organization (WHO) and partners cooperated to study the risks of separating newborns from mothers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They concluded disruptions to kangaroo mother care (KMC) that severely affected the quality of care given to small and sick newborns, resulting in unnecessary suffering and deaths. Accordingly, up to 125 000 babies’ lives could be saved with full KMC coverage.

Earlier this year, WHO Technical Officer Nicole Minckas and other world experts affiliated in the research "Preterm care during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparative risk analysis of neonatal deaths averted by kangaroo mother care versus mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 infection" and released their findings in the Lancet Eclinical Medicine on February 15. According to the worst-case scenario, 100% COVID-19 transmission could result in 1,950 neonatal deaths. Conversely, the benefits of universal KMC coverage could save 125,680 neonatal lives.

Most recently, a similar study "Small and sick newborn care during the COVID-19 pandemic: global survey and thematic analysis of healthcare providers’ voices and experiences" was conducted by Dr. Suman P. N. Rao and others on behalf of the COVID-19 Small and Sick Newborn Care Collaborative Group and was published March 14 in the British Medical Journal. After 1120 responses analyzed from 62 countries, the evidence indicated newborn care practices were disrupted both due to reduced care-seeking and a compromised workforce, including interventions such as discontinued or discouraged KMC.

Dr. Queen Dube, Chief of Health Services for Malawi's Ministry of Health, says the risks of KMC far outweigh the small chance of a newborn baby getting a severe COVID-19 infection. In addition, Dr. Dube considers KMC to be one of the most cost-effective ways to protect small and sick newborns.

Photo:Webshot.