05 February 2009
MUSCAT -- All private hospitals in Oman will be brought under Baby Friendly Hospital Institution (BFHI) to ensure and improve the survival, health, nutritional status, growth and development of infants and young children through optimal feeding.
"This is the concept of World Health Organisation (WHO) and Unicef. The aim is to ensure breast-feeding and discourage the use of breast milk substitutes," Dr Sheikha Al Kharusi, coordinator of the Ministry of Health (MoH), said while launching BFHI at a seminar held in Muscat Private Hospital yesterday.
BFHI was first started in 1992 and all government hospitals were brought under BFHI in 1996.
The implementation of Oman Code 55/98 on the marketing of the breast milk substitutes is the responsibility of all health personnel at the health facility, wilayat and regional levels.
Dr Sheikha informed that BFHI would be implemented by Private Health Department and Nutrition Department of MoH and it would be followed by a training course for the health workers by the government.
"Oman is a leader in encouraging breast-feeding. Breast milk is the most nutritious and beneficial food for newborns and babies. Breast milk provides an infant's total nutrient requirement for the first six months of life," Sheikha said.
It is the policy of the Ministry of Health that breast-feeding is adopted in all health institutions, government or private," she informed.
Dr Samia Al Ghannani, specialist, MD, MSC, Clinical Nutrition at the MoH, gave a lecture on 'Orientation on the international code of breast milk substitutes'.
"Exclusive breast-feeding in Oman is only 31 per cent and many mothers are seen giving water to the newborn babies. This is an alarming situation. Proportion of under-5 child deaths could be prevented through breast feeding," Samia said.
Samia pointed out that educating the mothers to increase food quality, quantity and frequency with a combination of meals and snacks, as the child gets older, with continued breastfeeding into the second year.
MUSCAT -- All private hospitals in Oman will be brought under Baby Friendly Hospital Institution (BFHI) to ensure and improve the survival, health, nutritional status, growth and development of infants and young children through optimal feeding.
"This is the concept of World Health Organisation (WHO) and Unicef. The aim is to ensure breast-feeding and discourage the use of breast milk substitutes," Dr Sheikha Al Kharusi, coordinator of the Ministry of Health (MoH), said while launching BFHI at a seminar held in Muscat Private Hospital yesterday.
BFHI was first started in 1992 and all government hospitals were brought under BFHI in 1996.
The implementation of Oman Code 55/98 on the marketing of the breast milk substitutes is the responsibility of all health personnel at the health facility, wilayat and regional levels.
Dr Sheikha informed that BFHI would be implemented by Private Health Department and Nutrition Department of MoH and it would be followed by a training course for the health workers by the government.
"Oman is a leader in encouraging breast-feeding. Breast milk is the most nutritious and beneficial food for newborns and babies. Breast milk provides an infant's total nutrient requirement for the first six months of life," Sheikha said.
It is the policy of the Ministry of Health that breast-feeding is adopted in all health institutions, government or private," she informed.
Dr Samia Al Ghannani, specialist, MD, MSC, Clinical Nutrition at the MoH, gave a lecture on 'Orientation on the international code of breast milk substitutes'.
"Exclusive breast-feeding in Oman is only 31 per cent and many mothers are seen giving water to the newborn babies. This is an alarming situation. Proportion of under-5 child deaths could be prevented through breast feeding," Samia said.
Samia pointed out that educating the mothers to increase food quality, quantity and frequency with a combination of meals and snacks, as the child gets older, with continued breastfeeding into the second year.
By Nishad anwar
© Times of Oman 2009
