Five-year initiative to promote breastfeeding imminent

Sep 21, 2014 News

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The simple act of breastfeeding has numerous health benefits to both mothers and their babies.  The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends early initiation of breastfeeding (within the first hour of birth) and exclusive breastfeeding (no water, other fluids or foods) for six months, followed by continued breastfeeding for two years or more, with appropriate addition of complementary foods.
Adults, who were adequately breastfed as infants have reduced risk of being affected by Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and other chronic illnesses.
Studies have shown that such persons have a reduced risk of having various types of cancers, being overweight, suffering from low blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and type-2 diabetes.
However, local health officials have noted that while some mothers have embraced the practice, there is still need for more awareness, which will assist in highlighting the advantages of breastfeeding.
To commemorate National Breastfeeding Week, which was observed under the theme “Breastfeeding a Winning Goal for Life,” last week, health workers spearheaded awareness walks, seminars, workshops and discussions at various hospitals and community health centres countrywide.
Breastfeeding Committees in Regions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10 hosted a number of activities aimed at promoting breastfeeding with special emphasis placed on importance of breastfeeding and a mother’s nutritional intake.
However, owing to the need for more sensitization, the Ministry of Health has embarked on an initiative to develop a five-year strategic plan to improve the health of infants through the promotion, protection and support for breastfeeding.
National Breastfeeding Coordinator, Ninian Blair, said that the plan will highlight the unique and ideal nutrition process which breastfeeding provides for infants, and contributes to their growth and development.
The plan will be disseminated to community-based support groups, media and other organisations.
Blair said that the objective of the project includes promoting breastfeeding through a code of practice for advertisers and producers of breast milk substitutes and complementary infant foods.
Highlighting some of the challenges associated with breastfeeding, the coordinator explained that “some manufacturers would have persons giving out samples of these substitute formulas at the clinics and health centres which we see as a challenge when encouraging mothers to breastfeed exclusively for the first six months of life.”
She said that the code of practice for manufacturers will assist in moderating and monitoring the social impact of marketing and advertising the substitute products.
In addition, she noted that breastfeeding mothers also have a higher need for more vitamins and minerals.
As such, their diet may include multivitamin and mineral supplements as well as a regular intake of calcium, whole grain, fruits, vegetables and protein.
In recent years, career moms also have noted the challenge associated with exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of the baby’s life.
Researchers and public health professionals have been exploring ways to improve support for all working mothers wishing to breastfeed.
During the interim, working mothers are encouraged to utilize the breast pumps to ensure that their babies receive the adequate daily nutritional intake while they work.
Local healthcare workers have said that support is vital to ensuring that “first-time mothers,” inculcate the healthy practice of breastfeeding.
Healthcare workers have also said that close relatives and friends form a vital aspect of providing support and encouragement to new mothers.
As such, based on the revised national policy, work outlined in the National Breastfeeding Strategy will also seek to ensure that breastfeeding is not dealt with in isolation, but rather alongside other important nutrition-related interventions; creating a plan/strategy which will include a broad array of partners (Government, non-governmental organizations, community-based groups, media and other organisations already operating at the community level).
The National Breastfeeding Coordinator related that a series of consultation sessions were conducted with key stakeholders, including members of hospital breastfeeding committees, Georgetown School of Nursing staff, Region Three Breastfeeding Advocate Committee, Municipal Day Care Services, Communication Experts, Women’s Affairs Bureau, Food and Drugs Department, Rights of the Child Commission, Private Hospitals, and Commercial Consumer Affairs workers to ensure harmonization in field approaches to allow rapid roll and expanded coverage.
She said that the breastfeeding committee is in the final stages of developing the strategy which will resuscitate the breastfeeding culture. Work outlined in the strategy is expected to commence in 2015 and conclude in 2020.
Breastfeeding Week is usually observed during the third week of September, every year. This year increased focus was placed on the contribution which breastfeeding makes towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which is to fight poverty and promote healthy sustainable development by 2015.

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