Hundreds of medical experts from around the world will today converge in Kigali for a week-long international conference on maternal and newborn health.

The conference coincides with the World Prematurity Day, marked globally on November 17 annually.

In Africa, an estimated 350,000 children under the age of five die from complications of preterm birth annually.

In the Kigali meeting, high profile researchers, scientists and medical practitioners are expected to take stock of successes and best practices in improving maternal and newborn health care services.

Experts intend to build up proper attitudes and best practices all over the world, including developing countries where Kangaroo Mother Care is the major form of care for low birth weight infants.

Kangaroo care is a method of holding a baby that involves skin-to-skin contact. It is estimated that greater use of this simple technique could save as many as 450,000 preterm newborns annually.

Preterm birth is the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age.

Medics refer to preterm birth as a situation where a baby is born before the developing organs are mature enough to allow normal postnatal survival.

Premature infants are at greater risk for short and long-term complications, including disabilities and impediments in growth and mental development.

The conference is organised under the theme; "Kangaroo Mother Care: an effective way to improve the survival and quality of survival of preterm and low birth weight infants: evidences and successes.”

A recent research published in the Lancet revealed that of the estimated 6.3 million deaths of children under the age of five in 2013 worldwide, complications from preterm births accounted for nearly 1.1 million deaths.

Specifically, direct complications from preterm births globally accounted for 965,000 deaths during the first 28 days of life, with an additional 125,000 deaths between the ages of one month and five years.

Rwanda has achieved impressive performances in the reduction of infant mortality, including neo-natal mortality.

"The conference comes at a time when our objectives are aligned to furthermore reduce infant mortality and move closer to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals,” Health minister Agnes Binagwaho is quoted as saying in a statement released by the ministry yesterday.

About 200 researchers, with a funding of $250 million, are expected to find out why preterm births are on the rise. Results from their study are expected to be released in about three to five years and could help save countless infant lives.

A statement issued by the conference organisers quotes Joy Lawn, a member of the research team as saying; "This marks a turning of the tide, a transition from infections to neo-natal conditions, especially those related to premature births, and this will require entirely different medical and public health approaches.”