World Breastfeeding Week begins in Haryana

 by Haryananewswire (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, AUG 1

The celebrations of  20^th “World Breastfeeding Week” began today with Haryana Health Minister, Mr Narender Singh, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary,Health Mrs Navraj Sandhu and Head of Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER,Chandigarh, Dr Rajesh Kumar  urging the people at a State level workshop to understand the significance of breast feeding, especially the first milk of the mother in safeguarding the infants and children from infections.

          The state level workshop was organized by Haryana Health Department in coordination with Women and Child Development Department on the theme “Babies Need Mom Made Not Man Made Food”. This workshop was organized with an objective to disseminate the message of early initiation of breast feeding, importance of colostrum, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, complementary feeding along with breastfeeding after six months of age and discouraging the use of the formula milk, infant milk substitutes, feeding bottles and infant foods.

              The Health Minister said that there is an urgent need to promote breastfeeding to improve the nutrition and survival status of the newborns and children as without early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding the goal of reducing Infant mortality rate seems unreachable. As at present there is emphasis to reduce the number of children suffering from diarrhea, infections and malnutrition, breastfeeding is all the more important. The Health Minister said that the main problem in promotion of breastfeeding is the social taboos because of which many myths are prevalent in the society like the equation of artificial milk products with mothers breast milk and rumors about the negative side effects of breastfeeding. These types of myths should not be encouraged and all possible methods should be adopted by the Health Department to check these myths.  The Health Minister appreciated the initiatives of the State Health Department to increase the rates of the exclusive and early initiation of breastfeeding, by conducting extensive activities at the state, district, block and village levels during the coming fortnight that is from August  1 to 15.

He said that joint efforts of Health and Women and Child Development Department along with Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), Indian Medical Association (IMA), National Neonatology Forum, PGIMER- Chandigarh, and PGIMS,Rohtak would yield encouraging results in motivating the people to understand the significance of breastfeeding.

Mrs Navraj Sandhu said that apart from exclusive breastfeeding and early initiation of breastfeeding, providing the first thick yellowish milk which is also called “Colostrum” plays a vital role in the survival of the newly born. This first milk is often discarded by people and not given to the newborns saying that it is not good for the baby. Such misconceptions must be cleared. This first milk provides the new born baby with the much needed infection fighting agents to ward against all diseases. She further stated that mothers breast milk contains all vitamins, proteins and other agents in the exact quantity required and easily digested by the baby. This milk is often termed as nectar for the same reason.

Dr Rakesh Gupta, Mission Director, NRHM and Commissioner, Food and Drug Authority, Haryana said that breast milk is the only complete food for the babies. No other substance, whether it is formula milk or cow’s milk contains all the ingredients essential for the baby to live healthily without disease. But due to the clever marketing techniques of the infant milk substitutes manufacturing companies,  the people have started believing that these substitutes are equal to mother’s breast milk which is false. This is would be checked by the implementation of the Infant Milk Substitutes Act in the state. To ensure this the state workshop will be followed by district workshops and block level workshops in all districts in collaboration with Women and Child Development Department  and partner organizations. All Sakshar Mahila Samuhs in  state will do wall writings and knock the door of every pregnant and lactating women to give correct feeding messages.

                        Dr Rajesh Kumar, Head, Department of Community Medicine, PGIMER, Chandigarh said that mothers first milk acts as the first immunization of the child as it protects him against infections. Dr Geeta Gatwala, Head, Department of Pediatrics, PGIMS, Rohtak said that breastfeeding is safe and effective in all circumstances like caesarians, sick children, deformities in the new born and low birth weight babies and must not be avoided under any circumstances.

Director, Women and Child Development,Haryana and Director General, Health Services ,Dr Suresh Dalpath, Deputy Director Child Health and State Immunization Officer , Dr Sunit Singhi, Head, Department of Pediatrics, PGIMER ,Chandigarh , Dr Kundan Mittal, President, Indian Academy of Pediatrics and other eminent doctors attended the workshop.

          Healthy baby shows and poster competitions will be organized and prizes to good performing Anganwadi Workers and supervisors will be awarded during the week.