Health staff training workshop opened

MUSCAT: A regional training workshop on breast-milk substitute monitoring and other connected issues began under the auspices of Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Sa’eedi, Minister of Health.

The workshop on “Monitoring and Support for Implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and Subsequent relevant World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolutions (NetCode) aims at training the participants from MOH and other countries and building their capacity on the monitoring framework, protocols of the International Code and relevant WHA resolutions, in addition to formulation, monitoring and evaluation of national Code legislation.

The ceremony gathered representatives of the Eastern Mediterranean Region, as well as regional and international organisations. The three-day workshop, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Nutrition Department at the Ministry of Health (MOH), is hosting 10 experts in NetCode from the region that would lead six sessions. The opening ceremony was commenced by a welcoming remarks presented by Dr. Ayoub Al Jawaldeh, Regional Adviser Nutrition of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO).

Dr Al Jawaldeh affirmed that the WHO is providing the member states with the tools and guidance to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and Subsequent relevant World Health Assembly Resolutions (NetCode) that will enable them to set up or strengthen effective monitoring systems in order to eliminate inappropriate marketing of foods for infants and young children, as well as assessing the level of adherence with the Code and national measures. He said that the comprehensive implementation of the Code would serve WHO goal that represents in increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding for infants less than 6 months of age by 2050. Full story @ timesofoman.com/oman