How one woman’s skin-to-skin care saves fragile infants in Tanzania
Mariam Mwakabungu, a dedicated caregiver at Amana Referral Hospital in Tanzania, uses the Kangaroo Mother Care method to save the lives of fragile, underweight infants. Her work involves skin-to-skin contact and educating parents on neonatal hygiene.
Why it matters
It showcases low-cost, high-impact healthcare interventions that significantly improve neonatal survival rates in developing regions.
Dar es Salaam. At 5:00 am every morning, Ms Mariam Mwakabungu begins a long commute from her home in Chanika to Amana Referral Hospital, where vulnerable newborn babies rely on her care.
The daily journey requires riding a motorcycle taxi (boda boda) to the bus terminal, followed by a commuter bus (daladala) to reach the facility.
Despite the financial and logistical strain, Ms Mwakabungu says her deep passion for the job keeps her motivated.
Known fondly around the hospital as 'Mama Kangaroo,' Ms Mwakabungu provides vital care for underweight newborns using the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) method, a skin-to-skin contact technique that maintains body temperature, particularly for infants whose biological mothers are critically ill or deceased.
For over three years, she has dedicated herself to this life-saving work.
On August 5, 2026, she was seen in the neonatal ward attentively cradling an infant to ensure it received the required warmth.
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