In a bid to combat malnutrition and improve the nutritional status of children,  we recently launched  Kangaroo Mother Care Unit (KMC) at HBT Medical College & Dr. R. N. Cooper Mun. Gen. Hospital, Mumbai in collaboration with Cooper Hospital. The KMC unit is aimed at providing support to premature and low-birth-weight infants and their mothers.

The unit was inaugurated by Dr. Shailesh Mohite, Dean of HBT Medical College & Dr. R. N. Cooper Mun. Gen. Hospital Mumbai, and Mr. Ashwini Kakkar, Chairperson of Action Against Hunger. This pilot project has been initiated with the aim of improving the health outcomes for stable, preterm and low birth weight babies and reducing infant mortality.

Kangaroo Mother Care is a simple yet effective method of care for premature or low birth weight babies. It involves skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her baby, with the baby being held upright against the mother’s chest. The KMC method has been proven to be highly effective in reducing mortality rates, improving infant health, and promoting breastfeeding.

The KMC unit at Cooper Hospital will provide mothers and babies with a comfortable and safe environment, where they can receive the necessary care and support. The 24-hour unit will have trained nurses and doctors from Action Against Hunger India to run the unit, along with counseling sessions for the mothers and follow-up post-discharge of the mother and child. 

Through this initiative, Action Against Hunger India aims to contribute towards reducing the burden of malnutrition and infant mortality in India. The organization plans to continue working towards improving the health and well-being of mothers and children across the country.