Abstract:
Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is an effective and safe method of caring for low-birth-weight
infants. This paper describes the results of a health systems strengthening intervention in
KMC involving ten hospitals in Java, Indonesia. Implementation progress was measured with
an instrument scoring hospitals out of 100. Hospital scores ranged from 28 to 85, with a mean
score of 62.1. One hospital had not reached the level of “evidence of practice”; five hospitals
had reached the expected level of “evidence of practice” and two hospitals already scored on
the level of “evidence of routine and integration”. The two training hospitals were on the
border of “evidence of sustainable practice”. The implementation of kangaroo mother care is
a long-term process that requires dedication and support for a number of years. Some items in
the progress-monitoring tool could be used to set standards for KMC that hospitals must meet
for accreditation purposes.
