Activities

Activities of Kangaroo Mother Care Foundation, (KMCF), India

Year 2015

  • Inauguration of KMCF on 2nd August 2015 by Sri Nitin Patel, Hon Minister of health Government of Gujarat at Ahmedabad Management Association Hall, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad Dr. Vinod Paul, Dr. Ramji, Dr. Simin Irani, Dr. Rekha Udani, Dr. Ruchi Nanavati, Dr. Arasar, Dr. Srinivasan were some of the other dignitaries attended.

Smt. Vasuben Trivedi, state minister for women and child development presided over the valedictory function.

  • One workshop on KMC including breast (milk)feeding was organized on the same day as part of celebration of world breast feeding week
  • One workshop organized for consultants on recent research studies of KMC including neurodevelopment and early skin to skin contact in delivery room on 2nd August 2015
  • KMC exhibition on the same day by nursing school, Karamsad, along with inauguration
  • KMCF quarterly newsletter started. The first issue was released during the inaugural function.
  • KMC training workshop for doctors and nurses at Patna Neocon, Bhubaneshwar neocon and other places
  • KMC posters, charts and job aids printed by KMCF and distributed to participants during workshops and through other meetings and conferences, free of cost. Printed in English, Gujarati, Hindi and later in Telugu and Oriya languages. ( 5000 charts in Gujarati, 3000 in English and Hindi and 1000 each in other languages. Distributed free of charge)
  • Talks during breast feeding week by Dr. Deepa, Dr. Kharod, Dr. SNVani at Ahmedabad and Anand.
  • A session for urban health workers at Ahmedabad by Dr. Deepa banker
  • KMC training at pre-conference program of AOP Gujarat at Rajkot Dr. SNVani, Dr. Deepa Banker and Dr. Parag Dagli
  • At Bhubaneshwar Neocon ENBC workshop with nurses- Dr. Shashi N. Vani
  • During IYCF training programs – 5 sessions by Dr. Kharod at Anand district
  • Many KMC awareness programs for public – Dr. Ashish Mehta, Dr. Abhishek Bansal, Dr. Anuj Grover, Dr. Viren Doshi, Dr. K.M.Mehariya , Dr. S N vani
  • Full day workshop for community health workers of Gujarat at Tribhuvan foundation, Anand- Dr. S. N. Vani and Dr. Kharod and Dr. Viren Doshi
  • Nov. 2015- Dr. Vani Keynote speaker at KMC conference of South Africa at Port Elizabeth near Cape Town and presented the work on Home based KMC at resource restricted villages of Gujarat. Dr. Vani was faculty member for the workshop on helping babies to breath

Year 2016

  • 5th and 6th May 2016: Trainers training for KMC including home based KMC for doctors, nurses and trainers of CHWs with support of local UNICEF at Berhampur, Orissa coordinated by

Dr. Suvarnadevi and Dr. Niranjan Mohanty at Medical College, Berhampur, Orissa.

  • Printed the draft of module on Home based KMC for community health workers, translated in local language Oriya also. KMC charts and job aids in Local language Oriya.
  • 15th May 2016: International KMC awareness day celebrations for the first time at Ahmedabad, Asmita Bhawan, Civil hospital compound with the support of Department of Pediatrics and AOP Gujarat.
  • Chief guest Dr. Mrs. A.B.Desai, Retd. Director of Post graduate studies and Professor and HOD of Pediatrics, BJMC, Ahmedabad and past president of Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Other guests of honor were Dr. N.B.Dholakia, Addl. Director of Health GOGujarat, Dr. Narayan Gaonkar, Health Specialist, UNICEF Gandhinagar and Dr. Shobha Shah of Sewa Rural Zagadia
  • Program included different presentations and distribution of Certificates of Appreciation for the nurses from different hospitals of Gujarat, who have done commendable service for the promotion of KMC. A KMC exhibition by nursing school of Karamsad.
  • May 2016 A lecture on basics of KMC for medical students at Savita Medical College at Chennai -Invited by Dr. Kumuda, president of NNF Tamilnadu.
  • 23rd Oct. 2016 KMC workshop at Mansa Gujarat with AOP Gujarat for nursing school students and doctors and other nurses Dr. S.N.Vani chief technical expert. Dr. Swati Popat, president of AOP Gujarat 2016 and Dr. Praful Patel supported the program
  • KMC orientation program for community health workers at Mangrol tribal area with the support of local NGO- Dr. N.T.vani and Dr. S.N.Vani
  • Training program for home based KMC promotion for self -help group of a leading NGO Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Parivartan Pariyojana (RGMPP) near Rae Bareilly, U.P._ Dr. N.T.Vani and Dr. S.N.Vani
  • Roll out plan for care of Preterm babies including KMC in Telangana State SNCUs– Technical expert Dr. S.N.Vani
  • Technical guidance, support and participation in survey for assessment of coverage and quality of KMC in Gujarat SNCUs with the support of government of Gujarat, UNICEF and Department of P.S.& M, PSMC, Karamsad-** survey tool developed**All the participants from Gujarat medical colleges (Dept. of Pediatrics and P.& S.M.) , UNICEF officers and KMCF members were oriented for the use of survey form as well as tips given for the quality improvement of KMC ** data compilation and analysis done by P.& S.M. senior faculty members. KMCF members conducted survey in the difficult high priority districts.
  • 14th to 17th Nov. 2016: KMCF members, Dr. Shashi N. Vani, Dr. Deepa Banker and Dr. Somasekhar participated in 11th International conference of KMC at Trieste, Italy. Dr. Deepa Banker and Dr. Somsekhar presented posters on different KMC studies. Dr. S.N.Vani had several assignments: Podium presentation of the study of “ safety, feasibility and acceptability of home based KMC in resource restricted areas of rural Gujarat” and role of NGOs in promotion of KMC in India, Lead discussant in the workshop on barriers and enablers of KMC in developing countries.(Dr. Deepa Banker, Dr. Rekha Udani and Dr. Suman Rao also joined in the discussions) Chaired one scientific session during the main conference and also one pre -conference workshop on costs and facilities for KMC program.
  • 8th Dec. 2016: KMC training workshop at Neocon, Indore as pre -conference program for doctors and nurses Dr. Nikhil Kharod conducted on behalf of KMCF

Year 2017

  • 24th, 25th and 26th Feb.: First national conference of KMC at Hyderabad conducted by KMCF with support from UNICEF Hyderabad. A very successful event.
  • Theme of the conference was “Accelerate Coverage and quality of KMC in India”
  • 24th and 25th Feb. -First Master trainers course for senior consultants and UNICEF official of six states, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh coordinated and technical expertise provided by KMCF – Dr. S.N.Vani
  • 25th Feb.-First KMC trainers course for community Health Workers- Dr. Kharod and Dr. Vani
  • 25th Feb-One course for Providers of KMC- Dr. Jatin Mistry and Dr. Somsekhar
  • Notable faculty members included Dr. Nathalie Charpak, director of Kangaroo Foundation, Bogota, her colleague Julian Villegas, Prof. Arasar, Prof. Deepa Banker, Dr. Parag Dangli, Dr. Jatin Mistry, Dr. Srinivas Murki, Prof. Somsekhar, Prof. Suvarna Devi, Dr.Asha Benakappa, Prof. Kharod . Other dignitaries included Dr. Prabhakar, Deputy commissioner for Child health division of GOI, Dr. Gagan Gupta, health Specialist, UNICEF, India, Dr. Sanjeev Upadhyay, Dr. SriKrishna, Prof. Rekha Udani, Prof, Ruchi Nanavati, Prof.Swarnarekha Bhat, Prof. B.D.Bhatia , president of NNF, Dr. Milind Shah, President of ISOPARB, Ms. Bandana Das, president of SOMI and Ms. Anjali Kelkar president of TNAI, local state government dignitaries and invited guests
  • 26th Feb 2017-Highlights of the conference were
  1. Release of a joint statement by various professional organizations of neonatologists, Pediatricians and nurses endorsing KMC to be a routine part of care of pre -term and low birth weight babies at all levels of care in India
  2. Best paper award for KMC research oral presentation and poster presentation
  3. KMC exhibition by nursing school students of PSMC, Karamsad
  4. Involvement of private practitioners and hospitals from Hyderabad
  5. Demonstration of KMC unit in Nalgonda district hospital under the guidance of Dr. Damera Yadaiah
  6. Release of Newsletter, Songs and roll plays by workers from NGOs etc.
  • 24th and 25th March 2017- Master trainers course for Maharashtra at Pune- Technical experts -Dr. Simin Irani, Dr. Shashi N. Vani (KMCF)and Dr. Rekha Udani
  • 28th and 29th March 2017- Master Trainers course for West Bengal at Kolkata– Technical experts-Dr. S.N.Vani and Dr. Deepa Banker from KMCF and Dr. Arasar
  • Programs to commemorate International KMC Awareness Day– 15th May 2017
  1. 13th May 2017– KMC Training program for NGOS working for promotion of MNCH all over Gujarat at Banas dairy, Palanpur- Trainers- Dr. Deepa banker, Dr. Parag Dagli, Dr. Arif Vohra and Dr. S.N.Vani Hon. Minister of Health for Gujarat, Sri Shankarbhai Choudhari presided over the function and released the job ai charts in Gujarati and distributed certificates of appreciation to workers from five NGOs of Gujarat who have promoted KMC in their local community with resource restriction and helped to save many newborn babies.
  2. !3th May 2017 – KMC orientation program for community Health workers at Deesa supported by Rotary club, Deesa (Dr. Hetal Shah) and local branch of IMA (Dr. Hiren Patel) – Dr. Deepa Banker and Dr. Parag Dagli
  3. !3th May 2017- Discussion on KMC with local pediatricians and Obstetricians – Dr. NT Vani, Dr. S N Vani, Dr. Deepa Banker and Dr. Parag Dagli
  • !5th May 2017- International KMC Awareness day celebrations at Public Health Foundation of India premises at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. KMC training for nursing school students and distribution of Certificates of Appreciation to nurses from hospitals of Gujarat for good KMC promotion activities. Dr. Dilip Mavlankar, Director of PHFI presided and Dr. Narayan Gaonkar, health Specialist , UNICEF Gandhinagar was guest of honor.
  • 22nd May 2017-Presentation of Report of KMC survey guided by KMCF – Presented by Dr. Uday Shankar Sigh, Prof. of P.& S.M., PSMC, Karamsad, followed by comments by Dr. Vani at the state review meeting of SNCUs of Gujarat at Gandhinagar.
  • May 2017– Poster presentation at Pediatric Academic Societies at Los Angeles , USA, on the topic of Home based KMC in resource restricted areas of Gujarat-by Dr. S.N.Vani and others from five NGOs of Gujarat- presented in the meeting by Dr. Rohit Vasa, Prof of Neonatology, Chicago, USA
  • 10th June– ASHA workers training for KMC including breast feeding at Tribhuvan Foundation, Anand by Dr. Kharod
  • 10th June 2017– KMC training at Adani Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhuj, supported by

Dr. Hasmukh Chauhan, HOD Pediatrics. Discussion on KMC with practitioners of Pediatrics and Obstetrics of Bhuj in the afternoon- Dr. SNVani and Dr. Parag Dagli

  • 10th June 2017- KMC orientation to nurses from private nursing homes at Gandhidham, Kutch
  • 10th June 2017-KMC discussions with local consultants of Pediatrics and obstetrics in private practice– Dr. Parag Dagli and Dr. S.N.Vani – supported by Dr. Vikas Goyal for local AOP
  • 15th June 2017- radio Talk on KMC- Dr. Kharod
  • 20th and 21st June 2017- First consultation meeting for preparation of a KMC training Module for use at national level- Supported by UNICEF, India- Ahmedabad- coordinated by Dr. S.N.Vani for KMCF
  • 10th August 2017- KMC- high on evidence, low on reach- National consultation at New Delhi

Dr. Somsekhar represented KMCF