Premature babies often need a lot of expensive specialised care - but that isn’t always available. So, doctors in Colombia are teaching mothers to look after their babies in a similar way that kangaroos look after their own young. It’s called "kangaroo mother care" and instead of being in an incubator, babies are wrapped tightly against their mother’s skin. The technique was developed in Bogota in the late 1970s as a response to overcrowding in hospital maternity units. There weren't enough incubators and around 70% of premature babies didn’t survive. Doctors started using this simple skin-to-skin method. They found it wasn't only saving babies but was also helping them to thrive. Now, kangaroo care has spread around the world. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Zoe Gelber Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Richard Vadon Email: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk Image: A baby in the kangaroo position
Hi there.
This is Myra.
And today's show will be a bit different.
I'm taking you back to the archives to hear a program that I absolutely love.
It's about a simple solution called kangaroo care.
People Fixing.
People Fixing the World.
Welcome to People Fixing the World from the BBC World Service with me, Mayra Anubi.
This is a program where I discover brilliant ways people have found to solve some of the biggest challenges we face today.
On this episode, we'll look at a simple but effective solution that's saving something very precious.
Premature babies giving birth can be a beautiful thing for many mothers.
It's the idea of bringing new life into the world.
But what if your child is born before the expected date?
Every year, one in 10 babies around the world are born premature and so they need a lot of hospital care to survive.
This is usually done in special cribs called incubators that keep babies warm and provide a controlled environment where they can continue to grow.
But these are expensive and many places around the world don't have access to this kind of care.
Unfortunately, this can mean premature babies have a higher risk of getting long term health complications and much less chance of survival.
In fact, according to the World Health Organization, for babies born more than three months early, 90% of those in low income countries die within the first few days of life.
This compared to 10% in developed countries.
But there is a solution, and this one, unlike the incubators we've just heard of, is simpler, cheaper and just as effective.