An innovation has been introduced to protect babies from malaria. In Uganda, malaria remains the leading cause of death especially among children.

The innovation dubbed ‘Kokono Crib’ was introduced by Amref Health Africa-Uganda with support from Italian-based Organization Delab. It is designed with a mattress and a mosquito net and it can carry a child of up to 5 kilograms.

Dr Tonny Kapsandui, the programme manager of reproductive maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) at Amref Health Africa- Uganda explained that the baby crib is an innovation that they think is a game-changer in terms of preventing malaria.

"We have worked with a company that designs the crib and we have tested and improved it and we feel it’s a very great innovation for the people to take up,’’ he said.

(L-R) Dr Tonny Kapsandui the program manager Reproductive maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health at Amref Health Africa- Uganda, Dr Daniel Kyabayinze, the director in charge of public health at the health ministry and Lilian Kamanzi Mugisha Communications, Fundraising and Advocacy Manager Amref interacting. (All Photos by Violet Nabatanzi)

Lilian Kamanzi Mugisha Communications, Fundraising and Advocacy Manager said "The reason why we created that crib was to give opportunity to mothers when they deliver and they still want to continue working along with their babies’’

Mugisha said they had distributed 30 Kokono cribs in urban slums of Kawempe to Teenage mothers who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of the mothers have testified that their babies have not suffered from Malaria, because every time they put their babies in the crib.

Mothers spend between sh70,000 to sh80,000 on treating malaria a month. Mugisha called upon the Ministry of Health to have the Kokono Crib as part of the mama kit.

The average test positivity rate for malaria is about 45% and the average incidence is about 240 cases per 100,000 population.