Pilot Kangaroo Care Programme Supports Premature Babies at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital

What happened

Al Jazeera Gaza reports that Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, has introduced a pilot kangaroo mother care programme designed to support premature and low-birthweight infants through skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding. The project, launched in September with backing from WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA, aims to improve newborn health in the context of Gaza’s damaged and resource-limited healthcare system.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure, battlefield claim or single-source assertion should be treated as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source or a named official. The programme involves placing babies against their mothers’ bare chests, with supervision from nursing staff. This method, recommended by WHO, helps regulate body temperature, promotes breastfeeding, and supports faster weight gain. Nurses presently prioritize babies who are medically stable and do not need oxygen support, seeking gradually longer skin-to-skin contact periods, with an immediate goal of at least two hours per day.

According to the hospital’s director of nursing, Khawla al-Madhoun, kangaroo care has demonstrated benefits in helping unwell or underweight babies grow faster and qualify for earlier discharge, although it is not a substitute for incubators or intensive medical interventions when needed. The programme also fosters bonding, as illustrated by the experience of a young mother who was recently able to hold and breastfeed her premature son after a prolonged separation due to his initial intensive care needs.

Known from the source

• Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis has started a kangaroo mother care pilot programme for premature newborns.
• Kangaroo mother care involves prolonged skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding to aid growth and health in low-birthweight babies.
• The programme is supported by WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA and launched in September.
• The approach is applied to medically stable babies not requiring oxygen support at Nasser’s neonatal care unit.
• Gaza’s neonatal intensive care resources have been severely reduced following conflict-related facility damage since October 2023.

What remains unclear

The introduction of this care model occurs against the backdrop of Gaza’s ongoing healthcare hardships. Since the October 2023 conflict escalation, Gaza’s neonatal intensive care capability has been severely curtailed, with UNICEF noting a 70 percent drop in incubator availability by late 2024, linked to facility damage and persistent supply issues amid continued Israeli strikes.

What remains unclear: Confirm whether the central claim is corroborated; until then treat it as unconfirmed/hearsay. Current capacity and operational status of the kangaroo care programme at Nasser Medical Complex beyond initial launch. Availability and condition of neonatal equipment and incubators as of 2026, including any recent supply deliveries. Verification of any recent official data on neonatal mortality or health outcomes linked to kangaroo care in Gaza.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Al Jazeera Gaza. Open the source.