Progress in the implementation of Kangaroo mother care in ten hospitals in Indonesia

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.