Full Breakdown
Kangaroo Mother Care Piloted Amid Neonatal Crisis in Gaza
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Initiative: Kangaroo Mother Care at Nasser Medical Complex
Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis has launched a pilot programme that introduces kangaroo mother care—skin-to-skin contact combined with exclusive breastfeeding—for premature and low-birth-weight infants. The approach, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), is being rolled out gradually in the hospital’s external neonatal care unit and maternity wards. Mothers such as Rania Fadel, who gave birth to twin boys on September 25, have been guided to hold their infants against their bare chest for extended periods; Rania’s son Ilyas, born at 1.4 kg, spent nearly two weeks in intensive care before moving to the neonatal care unit where she could practice the technique.
Background & Context
The programme emerges as Gaza’s health system grapples with severe shortages caused by the war that began in October 2023. Before the conflict, eight neonatal intensive-care units housed 178 incubators; by November 2024, three units were destroyed and only about 54 incubators remained—a 70 % reduction. Ongoing Israeli restrictions on fuel and electricity further jeopardize care for fragile newborns, while displacement and overcrowding increase the incidence of premature births.
Data & Statistics
- WHO guidance links kangaroo mother care to a 32 % reduction in neonatal mortality and a 25 % reduction by six months of age compared with conventional care.
- WHO recommends at least eight hours of skin-to-skin contact per day; Nasser’s immediate target is at least two hours, adjusted to each family’s circumstances.
- The pilot currently prioritises medically stable infants who do not require oxygen support.
Official Statements & Responses
Khawla al-Madhoun, director of nursing for the maternity and neonatal departments, describes the technique as an “integrated approach” that can help babies grow faster and leave the hospital sooner, while emphasizing that it cannot replace incubators for infants needing respiratory support. UNICEF reported that new incubators and ventilators have been supplied, yet neonatal units continue to manage large numbers of fragile infants with limited space and power.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I was so happy. It was such a beautiful feeling,” — Rania
- “She is a little better than yesterday,” — Linda
- “As a mother, it means a lot to me to feel that I am helping my daughter recover,” — Linda