Kangaroo Foundation

We are a nonprofit organization, led by health professionals, with the mission to humanize the care of newborn infants, particularly those most vulnerable: premature and low birth weight (LBW). We encourage the use, development and dissemination of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), a methodology based on scientific evidence.

KMC method was devised in Colombia more than 40 years ago (1978) by a paediatrician, Dr. Edgar Rey, and has emerged as an unique and innovative tool to enhance LBW infants’ healthcare in the world. KMC is an evidence-based technology, centered in the mother as the main provider of heat and stimulation (skin-to-skin contact, i.e. “kangaroo” position), nutrition (maternal milk), and close monitoring after early discharge at home in KMC.

The impact of the Kangaroo Foundation's activities has been remarkable. For instance, thanks to the dissemination of their research activities and their advocacy, WHO decided to adopt the KMC method as a major strategy to decrease neonatal mortality in LBW infants. Also, the Kangaroo Foundation has been a participant of the set of WHO’s KMC guidelines published in 2003.

The original components of the intervention (kangaroo position, breast milk based nutrition, and early discharge in kangaroo position) have been scientifically tested in observational and experimental studies conducted by the Kangaroo Foundation's research group. The results have shown KMC to be an effective and safe alternative to caring for LBWI in minimal care units after stabilization of infants conditions. It offers additional advantages regarding mother’s empowerment and family bonding to the LBWI. Modifications of the technique have been employed and tested under different circumstances.

In late 2010, by request of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia, and supported by the World Food Programme, the Kangaroo Foundation developed the document “Technical Guidelines for the implementation of Kangaroo Mother Care Program in Colombia”. These guidelines help to guarantee quality of the offered service by the existing and future KMC programs in Colombia.

In 2011, in order to support training efforts for a faster dissemination of KMC among health professionals, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, in partnership with the World Food Programme and the Kangaroo Foundation, developed a KMC training portal, which was made ​​available to the public in May of 2012. This portal provides all health professionals who practice the method, a series of high-impact educational tools for professional updating and dissemination of knowledge to other professionals. This creates a stronger national and international network for sharing information and experience in this field of health.