Investing in Health Care in Malawi and Ethiopia, January 2010

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

From the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a photo essay from Malawi on Kangaroo Mother Care, the technique of wrapping newborn babies to the bare chest. This promotes easy access to heat and breastfeeding, which are key to the growth of low birth-weight babies.

Photo: A newborn in Malawi lies on his mothers chest.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A low birthweight baby weighing less than two pounds hangs on to life at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. Low birthweight infants are at particularly high risk for hypothermia, which contributes to many deaths.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Three newborn babies share an incubator. They need to be kept warm and fed frequently, and to bond with the mother.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Jennifer Chidiwa, 23, practices Kangaroo Mother Care with her son.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Three new mothers practice Kangaroo Mother Care at Bwaila Hospital. Mothers are encouraged to practice Kangaroo Mother Care for as much of the day as possible.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Esther Magness lives over 60 miles away from the hospital. She is practicing Kangaroo Mother Care and will remain here until her baby is at a healthy weight.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Too few health carers and clinics across Ethiopia led to many families suffering from preventable and treatable diseases. The government trained more than 32,000 high-school educated women to teach rural families about disease prevention and healthy living.

Photo: A health extension worker administers a blood test to see if the patient is pregnant.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Lomitaa became a health extension worker after undergoing a year of intensive training.The program helps residents of rural communities develop the skills needed to improve their health.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

A chart in the health outpost is used to track pregnancies, childbirths and diseases in the community. This information is then passed along to health organizations, providing the government with more accurate statistics.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Home visits are an essential component to the Health Extension Program. Workers often walk miles to reach families in the most remote areas.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Lomitaa stops to teach a woman about the importance of sanitation. Health workers are trained in first aid, disease prevention, family health and environmental sanitation.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Lomitaa arrives at the home of a woman in Mojo village. Health workers are required to conduct regular outreach to all homes within their region.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

All health extension workers are women, making it easier for woman patients to candidly discuss health issues.

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Credit: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Since the programs launch in 2006, families in Ethiopia have experienced dramatic health improvements, including a 50 percent reduction in malaria and a 35 percent increase in DPT immunization.