Zambia: Warmth Across the Copperbelt and Central Provinces

Embrace’s work across Zambia’s Copperbelt and Central Provinces continues to show what strong, sustained partnerships can achieve. After more than five years in-country, adoption is deep, and the impact is clear.  

Across 10 facilities, doctors, nurses, and midwives consistently report that Embrace infant warmers have become an essential part of neonatal care, helping ensure that small and vulnerable newborns receive reliable warmth, both within facilities and during transport. 

In Ndola District, two ambulance teams are using Embrace to support newborn transport between facilities. Between August and December 2025, 167 babies were transported using Embrace warmers, with no cases of hypothermia recorded upon arrival. This reflects both the effectiveness of the technology and the strength of simple, consistent protocols implemented by frontline teams. 

Nurse Simon who runs the ambulance in Ndola District

At Ronald Ross Hospital, staff shared stories that point to growing trust among families. Mothers are relying on Embrace during extended stays, and within their first five months of use, they had a 33% decline in neonatal mortality. 

Baby wrapped in Embrace at Ronald Ross Hospital in Zambia

Across sites, health workers are tracking outcomes, sharing learnings, and requesting additional devices to meet demand. Embrace continues to complement Kangaroo Mother Care/Skin-to-Skin, helping provide consistent warmth while keeping mothers and babies together. Many facilities have also identified Embrace Champions to lead training and share best practices, strengthening long-term sustainability. 

Zambia continues to demonstrate what is possible when local leadership, partnership, and the right tools come together to improve newborn survival. Yet, the need is still great with almost 400 facilities in the Copperbelt District alone. We are preparing another shipment of 130 devices to be distributed to the region. Please consider making a gift to support the next deployment of warmth and help us keep the momentum strong. 

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What We Are Learning 

A few things are becoming clearer as we deepen our work on the continent. 

Transport is where Embrace is making some of its most measurable impact. Ambulances are a critical and often overlooked link in the newborn care chain. Babies arriving hypothermic face worse outcomes. Babies arriving warm give their care teams a head start. 

At every site where Embrace is working well, there is a specific person behind it. Someone who trained colleagues, asked hard questions, documented outcomes, and kept the work accountable when no one was watching. We call them Champions, and they are some of the most important people in our network. 

Identifying and supporting those individuals is a priority. We are expanding our Champion programs, building WhatsApp communities of practice, and developing job aids in local languages, so that every implementing partner has what they need to sustain impact long after a deployment. 

We are grateful to the health workers, facility leads, and Ministry of Health partners in Zambia who continue to shared their stories and put life-saving warmth into practice every day. 

Lauren Gilliss (Senior Program Manager, Embrace Global), Yvonne Mukenda (Technical Advisor, Embrace Global), Dr. Kunda Mutesu-Kapembwa (Newborn Support Zambia), Melody Westen (CEO, Embrace Global).