Clinical Bundle: Kangaroo Mother Care

A bundle is a small set of related evidence-based practices – generally three to five, that, when performed collectively and reliably to address a common problem, result in improved patient outcomes. This clinical bundle focuses on kangaroo mother care (KMC), which is a leading proven intervention that can radically improve inpatient care for small and sick newborns, leading to shorter hospitalizations and improved health outcomes. KMC refers to the practice of providing early, continuous, prolonged skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby, exclusive breastmilk feeding, and follow-up care with high-risk newborns.

USAID’s MaMoni Maternal and Newborn Care Strengthening Project (MaMoni MNCSP) developed a set of Maternal and Newborn Health Quality Improvement (MNHQI) bundles for the Government of Bangladesh to increase provider skills and create an enabling environment to demonstrate results over time. Bundles do not represent comprehensive care; rather they form one among many strategies to improve care practices. They are based on national protocols, guidelines, standard operating procedures, and the World Heath Organization (WHO) Quality of Care (QoC) framework. These 17 bundles were implemented in 232 facilities in 14 project-supported districts.