The MBFI was launched in 1992 by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is an accreditation process that requires a hospital or maternity facility to reach specific hospital standards related to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. It is a global effort to encourage and recognise hospitals and birthing centres that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding women and their babies.
Botha said that the Western Cape's strategic objective of wellness aims to achieve the best health outcomes for the six million people in our province who is dependent on public health services.
Towards this aim, women's health and the decrease of child mortality is among our five priority programmes and the promotion of breastfeeding is an important element of generating healthy children. It speaks to the strengthening of babies' immunity, in order to grow a healthy body. "In the province there are 74 health facilities with maternity units - public and private. Of the 74 only 26 have the mother-and-baby-friendly accreditation and 24 of the 26 are public health facilities. That certainly shows how committed we are to promote breastfeeding."
Riversdale Hospital has 16 beds in the maternity ward and handles about 45 births per month. Staff in the maternity ward started in 2007 with intensive training to obtain the accreditation. "I am very proud that this hospital in my home town has achieved this status. They deserve the praise."
Recent studies show that mothers benefit greatly from having a complete knowledge of the significant benefits of breastfeeding for their newborn babies. To increase that knowledge, the best place to start is with healthcare facilities and hospitals. In the Western Cape, child health is one of eight common goals prioritised by the department. It is also a measure of the quality of care. All facilities that render services to mothers and babies are challenged to make the MBFI a reality, which supports the right of mothers to choose how to feed and care for their babies. Healthcare professionals have the responsibility to encourage the best practices in infant feeding and to ensure that parents are given appropriate, accurate and unbiased information to allow them to make fully informed choices.
With a view to support informed choice, all educational materials used in MBFI facilities must comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. Breastfeeding is acknowledged to be the best way of feeding and caring for infants. It is important for infant development and also holds benefits for the mother. Research findings on the introduction of MBFI in health facilities have associated it with a reduction in infant deaths, particularly those due to diarrhoea and respiratory infection.
From left: Sr. Elise Opperman (Primary Health Care Manager: Hessequa), mr. Theuns Botha (Western Cape Minister of Health), Monique Hofmeyer (Dietician), sr. Hazel Cupdio (Nursing Manager), dr. Helise Schumann (Eden District Manager) and dr. Bool Smuts (CEO: Riversdale Hospital). Photo: Wilma Adamson.
