Support Premats, a local parent-led organisation, is stepping up efforts to improve care for premature babies in Malawi through hospital visits, education, and emotional support.
On June 4, the organisation visited the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) ward at Bwaila Maternity Hospital in Lilongwe.
The visit was led by musician and Support Premats ambassador, Ms. Madalitso Ngoleka, who performed Chichewa songs and shared her personal experience of raising a premature baby.
Speaking in an interview with ProjectM, CEO of the NGO, Bhatupe Mhango said the visit brought joy and comfort to mothers in the ward, many of whom are caring for sick and tiny newborns.
“Sometimes what a mother needs is not just medicine, but hope, this visit gave them that,” said a nurse at the hospital.
The NGO, which was established in 2022 and is based in Chilinde, Kawale, is made up of parents who have experienced premature birth themselves.
It also includes doctors, nurses, and health experts and runs on membership contributions and donations from well-wishers.
“We know the fear and the stress of having a premature baby. That’s why we are working with mothers and individuals who are currently going through it to encourage others too,” added Mhango.
During the visit, the group donated refreshments and handed over a locally made Bao board to the ward nurse. The board was requested earlier in May and is for entertaining mothers as they rock their babies to sleep.
Support Premats is also raising awareness on Kangaroo Mother Care, a method where mothers hold their babies skin-to-skin to help them breathe and feed better. This low-cost method is known to improve the survival chances of premature babies.
Despite facing funding challenges, the group also responds to needs in the ward such as launching an online fundraiser to replace a brand-new screen when the previous one was damaged by lightning.
Besides hospital visits, the organisation is working on building Malawi’s first database of premature babies in order to track and support families after discharge from the hospital, especially since many fall through the cracks once they leave the KMC ward.
Mhango is calling on the public to support its work by visiting www.supportprematinmalawi.org, sharing information, or donating to help families in need.
“No baby is too small to matter. No mother should walk alone,” she said.
