MoPH launches awareness campaign on the importance of breastfeeding
THE Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has launched the introductory campaign of the Baby Friendly Hospital initiative at Sidra Medicine.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding, enable mothers and pregnant women to identify the best habits they can adopt to ensure appropriate nutrition for them and their children, and showcase the global recommendations and the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months and the introduction of healthy complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding until the age of two years.
The campaign also introduces the importance of skin-to-skin contact between mother and child from the first moment after birth to strengthen the bond between the mother and baby. The Ministry of Public Health preceded the campaign by organising a fiveday workshop in collaboration with Sidra Medicine to train the breastfeeding counsellors.
The Breastfeeding Counsellors
Training workshop is an accredited workshop launched by WHO and UNICEF to support, promote and protect breastfeeding by training healthcare providers to provide breastfeeding advice and support to mothers. The workshop is designed to equip health workers with the skills to optimally support mothers and their babies in breastfeeding.
The workshop is part of the implementation of the BabyFriendly Hospital Initiative, which is launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 1991 with the aim of protecting and promoting the health of pregnant women, new mothers and their babies. This initiative was implemented by the Ministry of Public Health in 2016 and is part of the objectives of the National Action Plan for Nutrition and Physical Activity and in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Breastfeeding Counsellors Training workshop follows the Training of Trainers’ course for Breastfeeding Counsellors organised by the Ministry of Public Health in 2019 in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO). The workshop aimed to introduce and explain the recommendations for breastfeeding in health facilities, provide evidencebased recommendations on breastfeeding, understand the importance of communication skills and breastfeeding counselling to improve breastfeeding practices, health and nutrition for mothers and their children.
The workshop also discussed the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding and its application, the role of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in protecting breastfeeding, and the practical application of acquired skills and evaluation of trainers.