Namubiru Mariam, 17 is a new teenage mother and a resident of Kona zone, Kazo–Angola parish in Kawempe division. 

Namubiru who is a hairdresser places the baby crib on the verandah and quickly lines it with clean sheets before she lays her baby down.

Namubiru who sometimes works late at night testifies that she is never worried about her baby’s health; especially being beaten by mosquitos because the baby crib she uses has a treated mosquito net. 

Young mothers receiving Kokono baby cribs.

Namubiru received the baby crib while pregnant in May this year. She started using the crib immediately after her baby was born. 

“The crib has protected my baby from mosquito bites, consequently, from malaria,” Namubiru notes and is quick to add that she even lays her baby in the crib during the day to protect him from flies and dust while she works. 

Zaina Nakakande who is also a resident of Kazo-Angola, and a mother to a three months baby is all testimonies. 

Nakakande started using the crib when her baby was six weeks. 

Prior her baby suffered bouts of malaria, flu and coughs which made her frequent the clinic. As a result, she was spending a lot of money footing medical bills.

She further notes that her baby’s health improved greatly after she received the crib. 

“My baby no longer suffers from malaria because I keep her protected from mosquitoes,” she notes.

Namubiru and Nakakande are among the five beneficiaries of the Kokono baby crib innovation who shared their experience on Saturday, August 13, during the official launch of the crib in Kazo-Angola parish in Kawempe division. 

Over five mothers received free Konono baby cribs to raise awareness about the importance of cribs.  

The Kokono crib is an innovation by De-LAB with support from Amref Health Africa in Uganda. 

Kokono baby crib is a portable protective cradle for babies, used indoors, outdoor, during transport or at home. 

Lucy Dal Negro who is the lead innovator noted that the crib is locally made in Uganda and comes with a strong plastic shell, a treated mosquito net, mattress and handle that are replaceable. 

It is multi-purpose and doubles as a basin, and small play area and it is easy to clean.  

Dal Negro further noted that the crib is aimed at meeting the needs of mothers in the slum areas of Uganda. 

Worth noting, to protect fragile babies especially those aged one year and below from malaria. 

It also targets to curb the practice of mothers laying their babies on the ground, which exposes them to infections.

Malaria burden

Malaria is the leading killer disease to the extent that every year there are 300-500 million cases and about 1 million deaths in children under the age of five, 90% of which occur in sub-Saharan Africa. 

Research reveals that annually malaria claims between 70, 000 to 110,000 lives in Uganda; approximately 320 people every day, most of whom are pregnant women and children below the age of five years.

The most affected are children living in extreme poverty, especially in the slums such as those of Kawempe division.

Teddy Lutaaya, a Village Health Team member in Kazo-Angola parish in Kawempe division noted that malaria is a common illness in the area because of poor drainage that results in dirty water flooding the trenches, hence creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Lutaaya is optimistic that the baby cribs will go a long way in protecting the children from malaria since the crib comes with a treated mosquito net.