Ministry of Health of Rwanda, Society for Family Health Rwanda and Abbott Launch Pioneering Model of Primary Health Care Service Delivery

PR Newswire Rwanda HNN Team

This article was originally published by PR Newswire here. New initiative will provide vital primary care services within a 30-minute walk of all Rwandans’ homes. Health post workers will test and treat pregnant women for multiple infectious diseases that can have serious health consequences for both mothers and newborns if not diagnosed and treated early. … Continued

Charity by name and nature: Malawi’s extraordinary midwife

Al-Jazeera Malawi HNN Team

This article was originally published in Al-Jazeera here. By Rabson Kondowe It is a busy mid-morning at Achikondi Women’s Clinic in Area 23, a township in Malawi‘s capital city Lilongwe, and Glory Honde is holding her healthy baby girl in a blanket. She gave birth here three months ago and is back to have her daughter weighed. … Continued

Uganda leading groundbreaking research for newborn deaths in hospitals

The Independent (Uganda) Uganda HNN Team

This article was originally published in The Independent (Uganda) here. Researchers in Uganda are conducting a trial to determine the mortality benefits and cost-effectiveness of kangaroo mother care (KMC) among ill infants weighing 2000 grams or less. KMC is a method of care of preterm infants that involves skin-to-skin contact with the mother or another … Continued

CSO calls for return of free antenatal service in Gombe

Nigerian Tribune Nigeria HNN Team

This article was originally published in Nigerian Tribune here. By Ishola Michael A Gombe based Civil Society Organisation (CSO), Network for Maternal and Newborn Child Health Initiative, (NMNCHI), has appealed to the Gombe State Government to revive the free antenatal services in order to promote family health. The call was made by the Chairman of … Continued

Kangaroo Mother Care Awareness Campaign

Lenasia Rising Sun South Africa HNN Team

This article was originally published by Lenasia Rising Sun here. Aiming to reduce the new-born mortality rate caused by winter conditions, the Johannesburg Health District will embark on a Kangaroo Mother Care Awareness Campaign to emphasise the benefits of keeping newborn babies warm. Kangaroo Mother Care, or, skin-to-skin care, is a simple, easy method of … Continued

Why is it difficult to interview young fathers about fatherhood, and why is it important that we keep trying?

Young Lives Peru, Ethiopia, Zambia, India HNN Team

This article was originally published by Young Lives Many researchers hesitate to share difficulties experienced in fieldwork in case the credibility of field teams or of the research findings is called into question. I believe that sharing our experiences will contribute to better research, and therefore benefit all those involved and invested in the research. … Continued

Kenya hopes its first human milk bank will save infants’ lives

Quartz Africa Kenya HNN Team

This article was originally published by Quartz Africa here. By Annabelle Timsit Every morning at Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi, a group of new mothers files into a spacious room housing Kenya’s first human milk bank. The room, freshly-painted aqua blue and bustling with nurses, is lined on either side with private lactation booths separated … Continued

Reinvigorated Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Helps Promote Exclusive Breastfeeding in Malawi

Health Policy Plus Malawi HNN Team

This article was originally published by Health Policy Plus (HP+) here. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), led by WHO and UNICEF, aims to give newborns the best start in life by promoting exclusive breastfeeding from birth to six months. In Malawi, great strides were made after the initiative was first introduced in the country, with … Continued

Breastfeeding: Despite progress, only three African nations expected to meet global goal

Medical Xpress HNN Team

This article was originally published on Medical Xpress here. Only three African countries are expected to meet the global target for exclusive breastfeeding, “an unparalleled source of nutrition for newborns and infants, no matter where they are born,” according to a global health expert. The three nations, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe, are … Continued

Inside the Ebola treatment centres of Congo, where survivors bring hope to those on the edge of death

The Telegraph Democratic Republic of the Congo HNN Team

This article was originally published in The Telegraph (UK) here. For a patient diagnosed with perhaps the world’s most chilling disease, Congo’s Ebola treatment centres are a terrifying place to be. From the moment their blood tests positive, victims are placed in hermetically sealed bio-secure units. As they teeter between life and death, almost the … Continued