World Prematurity Day is an international day to raise awareness for babies who are born too soon. This year with partners around the world we highlighted Kangaroo Mother Care. Preterm birth continues to be the leading contributor to under-5 deaths globally, being responsible for almost half of all under-5 deaths in 2021. Immediate initiation of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) has shown to significantly decrease newborn mortality. Skin-to-skin contact’s benefits includes improved thermal regulation, infection prevention, improved breast feeding, positive facilitation of physiological, behavioral, psychosocial, and neurodevelopment, and a reduced risk of neonatal mortality.
Training Articles
Implementation Toolkit Series | Financing
This seminar is part of the Implementation Toolkit seminar series, and dives into Financing and what it takes to figure out the cost for different aspects of newborn care and how to invest in it.
This seminar series is structured around the Health System Building Blocks (HSBBs) and is linked to the NEST360 | UNICEF Newborn Implementation Toolkit. Learn more about the toolkit: newborntoolkit.org
Kenya holds GIC for pre-service and clinical mentorship
Lecturers and mentors who attended the Newborn ETAT course also had the opportunity to participate in the Generic Instructor Course (GIC) on May 4-6, 2022, in Nairobi, Kenya. The GIC provides training to potential instructors in how to teach providers course material. GIC attendees learn the principles of teaching adults in different learning environments through lectures, demonstrations, discussions, and interactive practice sessions. The skills learned in GIC are beneficial beyond life support courses and can inform all teaching.
Implementation Toolkit Series | Human Resources
This seminar is part of the Implementation Toolkit for Small and Sick Newborn Care Seminar Series. It discusses the important topic of available models and materials for workforce training as an important part of ensuring quality newborn care.
Data-Driven Change Gets Big Boost in Malawi
NEST’s Malawi team partnered with the Ministry of Health to improve data collection in Malawi through a program that provides computers and REDCap training to data collectors at the facility level.
The Minister of Health, Honorable Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, was presented with a symbolic computer donation by Professor Kondwani Kawaza (NEST Program Co-PI) on March 24, 2022, at the Capitol Hill in Lilongwe. This gesture represents the beginning of the program aimed at improving data collection.
A look into Generic Instructors Course (GIC) and Training of Trainers (TOT) Training in Malawi
As part of building the capacity of COIN trainers and potential instructors, a three-day Generic Instructor Course (GIC) was held from March 29-31, 2022, at Malawi Sun Hotel in Blantyre. The training drew 24 participants from CHAM facilities, training institutions, and public health facilities. Both local and internal faculty members facilitated the training.
A Look into Biomedical Engineers and Technicians (BMET) Training
This quarter, the NEST Kenya team led biomedical training at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. Biomedical training focuses on providing biomedical engineers and technicians with skills in proper repair and maintenance of NEST technologies during planned preventive and corrective maintenance.
NEST Curriculum Integrated & Quality Improvement in Tanzania
Over the past quarter, NEST Tanzania worked towards important milestones in sustainability of the NEST model within the national systems.
Improving Healthcare Education Teaching Skills: Generic Instructor Course
What is the purpose of the Generic Instructor Course (GIC)? In this post we dive into how the GIC is designed to train potential instructors in how to teach providers’ course material.