First Embrace

Pilot · Kano · since February 2026

Our impact

Live figures from our care teams on the ward, refreshed periodically. All of our data is shared with the Kano State Ministry of Health.

Babies cared for
357

Premature and low-birth-weight newborns enrolled in our kangaroo mother care program.

Currently in care
9

Babies actively in the program right now — enrolled and not yet discharged.

KMC initiation
95%

338 of 357 babies

Share of babies who began kangaroo mother care — continuous skin-to-skin contact that keeps newborns warm, stable, and feeding.

Registered within 24 hours
52%

187 of 357

Babies enrolled within a day of birth, when early care makes the biggest difference.

Still receiving KMC at day 28
95%

249 of 262 followed up

Of babies followed up at day 28, the share still practising kangaroo mother care at home.

Survived to day 28
92%

262 of 285

Babies confirmed alive at their day-28 follow-up — the program’s core survival outcome.

Neonatal mortality rate
8%

Newborn deaths within 28 days, as a share of babies who reached day 28 (WHO definition).

Newborn deaths
23

Newborns enrolled in the program who did not survive. Each is recorded with the family’s care team.

Outcomes

The difference we make

How the program changes the odds for a newborn — from enrolment through to day 28.

Neonatal mortality: before vs with First Embrace

Pre-program baseline mortality. The current figure is live (WHO neonatal definition).

From enrolment to survival

Day-28 stages include only babies who have already reached day 28.

We succeed when hospitals no longer need us and work so that trained nurses become KC champions.

Day-28 outcomes
Day-28 follow-up status

Over time

How the program has grown

Month by month since the pilot began. Monthly figures — the most recent month may still be filling in.

Babies cared for (cumulative)
New babies per month
KMC initiation by month
Registered within 24h by month

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