• Key facilities supporting this campaign include Corniche Hospital, Ambulatory Healthcare Services, and Al Dhafra Hospital

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates:  This week, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network, is launching its annual breastfeeding awareness activities, as part of the National Breastfeeding Week, across its facilities, hosting a number of community activations raising the importance and benefits of breastfeeding for both mothers and their infants.

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is a global campaign that raises awareness and helps drive action to celebrate and promote breastfeeding. Celebrated globally from August 1st – 7th, the UAE instead celebrates it during the first week of November.

The week-long campaign will focus on educating and strengthening the capacity of multiple actors to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across many levels, from hospital, to the workplace and the wider community, with SEHA’s Corniche Hospital, Ambulatory Healthcare Services, and Al Dhafra Hospital supporting mothers during their breastfeeding journeys.

Dr Paul Bosio, Chief Medical Officer and Acting CEO at Corniche Hospital, said: “Corniche Hospital has an excellent record of always promoting the many benefits of breastfeeding throughout its long history. Our passion for breastfeeding is recognized by UNICEF & WHO through our repeated accreditation as a “Mother & Baby Friendly” Hospital.  We take pride in the expertise of our dedicated lactation consultants who are highly trained to support the 98% of our mothers who embark on their breastfeeding journeys.”

Valentina said: “I had all possible complications with breastfeeding after giving birth to my first child, from cracks to infection, which really hindered my ability to breastfeed normally. Through the support received from the lactation team at Corniche Hospital, and their close daily monitoring, I was able to overcome the obstacles and have been able to breast feed for the past two years as a working mother.”

“During my second pregnancy, we planned to get a colostrum antenatally to get ready in case any issues arise. After delivery, my baby had to be admitted to the ICU unexpectedly. The lactation team gave my baby the colostrum, and through their continuous support and careful pre-planning, I expressed milk and was able to feed him for eight days until we were finally discharged. He is now a happy and healthy two-month-old, and I am sincerely enjoying being a mother to two beautiful babies.

SEHA reports that breastmilk continues to provide important nutrients for infants as long as they continue breastfeeding, and helps babies fight off infections and builds a stronger immune system.  Research suggests that breastfeeding can reduce the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Optimal breastfeeding is vital to the lifelong good health and wellbeing of women and children.

Dr. Fawaghi Al Naqbi, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Ambulatory Healthcare Services, commented: “As the primary care provider in the SEHA network, we are the gateway to healthcare for the community and usually their first point of entry into the SEHA network, and so we work closely with our sister hospitals to support and encourage breastfeeding among the community. To do so, we recently opened a lactation clinic at Madinat Khalifa Healthcare Center and Al Mushrif Children’s Specialty Center, with plans to expand and open more clinics in the near future. In addition, we are working on accrediting our healthcare centers as “Mother and Baby-friendly” healthcare centers as an indication of our unwavering support for breastfeeding.”

Dr. Ibrahim Hatab, Chief Nursing Officer, at Al Dhafra Hospitals, said: “At Al Dhafra Hospitals, we understand how vital natural breast feeding is in maintaining the health of the baby and its mother. Although activities related to breastfeeding should extend throughout the year, the World Breastfeeding Week is an excellent opportunity to enhance community awareness regarding the importance of breastfeeding and its impact on the well-being of the infant, the mother, their family and thereby the entire community. We continue to celebrate the re-accreditations of Al Dhafra Hospitals as being baby-friendly. We are strong advocates of baby-friendly initiatives and continue to stress on how critical these initiatives are to maintaining a healthy and productive society.”   

Ms. Salma Omar Al Nuaimi, Chief Nursing Officer, at Tawam Hospital said: “The benefits of breastfeeding are unmatched when it comes to the baby’s health and growth. Afterall, breast milk sets the foundation for your child’s development. Every mother breastfeeds her child, but not everyone is aware of the correct way to breastfeed or what the advantages or disadvantages of breastfeeding are, and the detrimental effects of it if not done the right way. That’s the reason we established a breastfeeding support service at Women’s Health Lactation Clinic in addition to a 24/7 lactation hotline, managed by lactation consultants and obstetric nurses who can attend to any concern raised by new mothers. We have also formed breastfeeding support groups - social collectives that offer wisdom, experience and mutual support to all mothers. The virtual sessions are held once a month on a Thursday. Additionally, initial breastfeeding support sessions are provided by our lactation consultants. These sessions include new-born visits and full assessment of positioning and latching, oral assessment of the baby including assessment for tongue-tie and milk transfer evaluation and weighing if needed. Our teams are well-trained to address any concern that mothers may have and if required, can create an individual plan designed to protect milk supply and improve breastfeeding to ensure that each of our new mother’s achieve their breastfeeding goals.”

As part of the campaign, Corniche Hospital is launching the breastfeeding peer counselling program; the hospital lactation experts have trained and certified mothers in the community, who have a personal breastfeeding experience, to become peer counsellors and give information and support to new moms and help them have a good experience with breastfeeding.

A number of activities will be held across facilities for patients and members of the community. This includes mothers’ workshops, community education events held in partnership with Khalifa & Zayed universities. Free Counselling Sessions are also offered at Corniche Hospital on Nov 1-3, from 10:00am to 12:00pm and 02:00pm to 04:00pm

Corniche Hospital is the leading women’s and newborns’ hospital in Abu Dhabi. The Hospital has lately undergone renovation and all rooms and departments have been renovated and equipped with new technology, ensuring a pleasant stay for moms-to-be and mothers.

To learn more about the activations, follow Corniche Hospital Instagram and Facebook pages: Instagram @CornicheHospital & Facebook @CornicheHospitalAbuDhabi

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About SEHA:

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company PJSC–SEHA – is an independent, public joint stock company created to develop the curative activities of the public healthcare system in Abu Dhabi. The company owns and operates all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

SEHA is a PureHealth asset, the UAE's largest integrated healthcare platform.

SEHA is committed to continuous improvement of customer care to recognized international standards and providing the community with world-class healthcare. SEHA operates 14 hospitals with over 3,000 beds, 70 ambulatory care, family care and urgent care centers and 3 blood banks. Its facilities accommodate 117,162 inpatients annually and conduct 43,262 surgeries, as well as treating more than five million outpatients.

SEHA is one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in the Middle East with more than 14,000 doctors, nurses, ancillary care, and administrative personnel. Learn more at www.seha.ae