On 16th May 2023, WHO published two important new policy and programmatic resources on kangaroo mother care (KMC) - a global position paper and implementation strategy - following the release of landmark new guidelines in 2022. These guidelines recommend KMC as the essential standard of care - starting immediately after birth - for all babies born early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or small (under 2.5 kg at birth).
These new publications aim to support global implementation and scale-up of KMC in line with the updated recommendations. This may require major reorganizations in the way maternity services and newborn care are provided to ensure mother and baby can always be together – right after birth - even when the baby is small and sick and requires care inside the newborn care unit.
Read more about these resources
Watch the recording of the webinar launching the new publications
Photo credits: © WHO / Blink Media - Hilina Abebe
