DHA to hold virtual lecture on healthcare
DUBAI: The Dubai Health Authority’s ( DHA) Primary Healthcare Sector will be holding a virtual lecture highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding in light of World Breastfeeding Week.
The virtual lecture will discuss the many benefits of breastfeeding, breastfeeding precautionary measures during the COVID- 19 pandemic and many more related topics. It will take place on August 16, 2020 at 12pm on ZOOM and is open to the public.
Dr Fatima Al Olama, Consultant and Head of Childcare Unit at DHA and Director of the
Lactation Training Program in the UAE, will be speaking in the lecture.
When it comes to breastfeeding and COVID- 19, Dr Al Olama said that studies have found that the virus cannot be passed through breastfeeding, in fact the World Health Organization advises mothers to breastfeed — while taking precautionary measures — because breast milk contains antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria
“If mothers have symptoms and they decide to breastfeed, mothers are advised to wash their hands before breastfeeding, they should wear a mask and wash or wipe their breast well before and after breastfeeding. If mothers with symptoms wish to pump breastmilk, then they should have their own dedicated pump.
“They should wash their hands well before touching the pump and follow correct cleaning directions after each use,” said Dr Olama.
Dr Al Olama added that breastfeeding has a number of benefits that include lowering the baby’s risk of having asthma or allergies.
“Babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and bouts of diarrhea. They also have fewer hospitalizations and trips to the doctor. Breastfeeding has also been linked to higher IQ scores in later childhood in some studies.”
She added that stored pumped milk in the fridge for up to three days and in the freezers for up to six months.
Those who want to learn more about correct breast feeding methods and benefits can join the Zoom lecture on August 16th, 2020 at 12pm. The meeting ID is 9920028975 and the passcode is 0000.