Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has stepped up efforts to cut newborn deaths linked to hypothermia after receiving specialised warming equipment aimed at tackling a persistent and life-threatening challenge in its Newborn Unit (NBU).
The hospital has acquired nine advanced conductive warming mattresses (CELSI Warmers) through a partnership with Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360°).
The devices are expected to reduce cases of hypothermia among admitted infants from the current 30 to 40 per cent to below 10 per cent, significantly improving survival outcomes.
Hypothermia, defined as a body temperature below 36.5 degrees Celsius, remains one of the most common and dangerous conditions affecting preterm and low-birth-weight babies.
At JOOTRH’s NBU, nearly four in every 10 babies arrive with low body temperatures, a situation doctors say complicates treatment and heightens the risk of infection, respiratory distress and death.
JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Joshua Okise said the donation comes at a critical time, when the facility, which was recently elevated to a Level 6A National Referral Hospital, is handling a high number of vulnerable newborns from across the Nyanza region.
“Managing temperature, especially during the night, has been a major challenge. These warmers will strengthen our response and positively influence newborn health outcomes for years to come,” said Dr. Okise during the handover ceremony held at the facility in Kisumu on Sunday.
The CELSI Warmers are designed to provide consistent conductive heat, ensuring babies maintain stable body temperatures immediately after admission.
Unlike conventional radiant warmers, the mattresses offer continuous thermal support and are particularly useful in stabilising infants before further interventions.
Dr. Okise noted that while Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), where mothers hold babies skin-to-skin, remains one of the most effective and affordable thermal care strategies, it is not always immediately feasible.
“Some mothers may be unwell after delivery or unavailable, leaving newborns exposed during the critical first hours,” he said.
The new equipment, he added, was expected to bridge the gap, offering reliable thermal care when KMC cannot be initiated right away.
NEST360 Programme Manager, Dolphin Mochache said the organisation’s support goes beyond equipment donation and focuses on sustainability.
“Our commitment includes continuous training of healthcare workers, maintenance oversight and data collection to ensure the equipment is used effectively and consistently improves newborn survival,” she said.
Since 2021, NEST360 has partnered with JOOTRH to strengthen newborn care through training of doctors, nurses and biomedical engineers.
The collaboration has also seen the hospital receive the NEST Bundle, a package of essential technologies including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeters, syringe pumps, radiant warmers, LED phototherapy units and point-of-care diagnostic devices such as haemoglobin meters and glucometers.
JOOTRH Director of the Paediatric Division Dr. Maureen Muchela said the cumulative investments have gone a long way in transforming the hospital’s capacity to manage premature births and complications that previously contributed to high neonatal mortality.
Speaking during the same occasion, JOOTRH Senior Director of Finance and Administration, Evans Oloo, noted that strategic partnerships remain central to the hospital’s long-term plan to improve specialised care services in western Kenya.
The latest intervention aligns with the hospital’s broader mission of delivering quality, compassionate care, particularly in maternal and child health, a key pillar in Kenya’s efforts to reduce neonatal deaths and meet global sustainable development targets.
by Chris Mahandara
