Kenya joined other countries worldwide to celebrate World Prematurity Day the event which was held at Bungoma County Referral Hospital, was graced by different guests from the Ministry of Health, and other organizations.
The event which is celebrated on 17th November of every year is made to educate women on the importance of KMC baby care.
This year’s theme is “zero separation, act now! Keep parents and babies born too soon together.” Saw Kenya launch, the scale-up plan for the use of Chlorhexidine Digluconate 7.1% for umbilical cord care.
The goal of the plan is to accelerate Kenya’s progress towards achieving a reduction in neonatal sepsis, by ensuring 80% of newborn babies receive Chlorohehexidine Digluconate 7.1% at birth by 2026.
Objectives of the scale-up plan are:
To accelerate the operationalization of existing policies to ensure sustainable access to CHX within the health system.
To integrate CHX provision in all public and private service delivery platforms by the end of 2026.
To integrate CHX into the pre and in-service national harmonized health workers training and ensure quality assurance by 2026.
To strengthen CHX commodity forecasting, quantification, and procurement process by 2026.
To strengthen advocacy, communication, and social mobilization strategies for use of CHX in Kenya.
The event was hosted by The Ministry of Health, Department of Family Health, Division of Neonatal and Child Health( DNCH) sponsored by Save the Children International (SCI), UNICEF, PATH, Nutrition International(NI), AMREF Health Africa in conjunction with World Health Organization (WHO)
During the event, the chief guest DR Caroline from the NEST organization thanked the county government of Bungoma for supporting the Kangaroo Mother care and all health care officers from the county for their commitment to ensuring that the premature babies and their families are taken care of.
She also highlighted the progress that the organization has been able to achieve since Kangaroo Mother Care was established.
“I would like to highlight the progress we have made so far; we have implemented Kangaroo Health Care in 40 out of the 47 counties in Kenya and we have excellence on Kangaroo mother care in Pumwani, Bungoma, Kakamega, Makueni, Moi Teaching, and Referral Hospital and Kenyatta National Hospital; over 800 health care officers have been trained to provide KNC services and there is a regional training center for Kangaroo Mother care at Pumwani.” She noted
According to Caroline, the biggest cause of premature birth is sepsis infection which will be combated through the scale-up plan for the use of Chlorhexidine Digluconate 7.1% for umbilical cord care.
By Rayzone