Kangaroo care is a simple and highly practical method of care of the low birthweight newborn which has been shown in some studies to significantly improve survival. We describe the introduction of ‘kangaroo care’ to the special care nursery at Port Moresby General Hospital, discuss the problems encountered and attempt to assess its impact in a 1-year retrospective study, during which it was associated with a reduction in hypothermia and an increased rate of weight gain.
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