The International Labour Organisation (ILO), UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) congratulated the Philippines for the significant increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates in the country, just as the world celebrates Global Breastfeeding Week this August 1 to 7.
Recent figures released by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI-DOST) showed that exclusive breastfeeding rates have risen from 36 per cent in 2008 to 47 per cent in 2011. The initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of delivery has increased from 32 per cent in 2008 to 52 per cent in 2011.
At the same time, there are still substantial disparities in exclusive breastfeeding rates within the Philippines. Data from the recent Family Health Survey (FHS) in 2011 showed that exclusive breastfeeding rates in some areas of the country are as low as 27 per cent. Further efforts will be needed to increase the number of mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies, which will have a significant impact on the nutritional status of children in the Philippines. Exclusive breastfeeding is the best way to provide babies with the nutrients they need during the first six months of life, requiring no additional liquids or solid food - not even water.
WHO Representative in the Philippines, Dr. Soe Nyunt-U commented: “Breastfeeding can save the lives of both mothers and babies. This is one of the important interventions to reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. The increase in breastfeeding rates takes us that much closer to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in child health. We should continue to intensify the campaign to promote, protect and support breastfeeding in order to gain more ground.”
The government is leading the initiatives on breastfeeding promotion across the country in collaboration with various partners. It is this concerted effort along with a strong, policy and legislative framework that is making a difference.
[previous|page|next]
“We know that efforts to increase breastfeeding rates take the cooperation and commitment of many actors from different sectors. What we have seen in recent years is a coming together of many different partners from the government, political leaders, NGOs, other civil society organizations and media to support these efforts. This is the key to sustained improvements in breastfeeding and ultimately in physical and mental development of children in the Philippines,” Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Representative, says.
One of the challenges a mother encounters in breastfeeding is when she has to return to work after her maternity leave, since she needs a source of income to sustain her and her baby’s needs. “Working women often feel the pressure to immediately report back to work, thereby having to give up breastfeeding, for fear of losing their jobs or returning to work with a lower pay or position,” says Director Lawrence Jeff Johnson of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office in the Philippines.
The ILO has been working to encourage employers to support women’s rights to breastfeed during work hours.
“Workplaces which provide space and time for mothers to continue breastfeeding profit in terms of increased productivity, reduced parental absence, lower healthcare costs, higher rate of return to work, increased staff loyalty and reduced training budget,” says Director Johnson.
Another important part of creating a supportive environment for breastfeeding is having a strong policy and legal framework that is in line with the globally-agreed codes of conduct to regulate the marketing of breastmilk substitutes such as infant formula, and the global strategies on infant and young child feeding as endorsed by the World Health Assembly.
“The strong legislative and policy framework in the Philippines is being recognized as one of the best in the world, protecting every Filipino mother’s right to breastfeed. The Milk Code or Executive Order 51, signed by President Corazon Aquino back in 1986, ensures that breastfeeding is protected and women are given clear information on the benefits of breastfeeding. The substantial increase in exclusive breastfeeding rates that we are seeing today is a dividend of such efforts made by leaders and people in the Philippines over the last two decades. These laws are something which the whole nation should be proud of and continue to uphold,” Hozumi added.
Photo by christyscherrer from flickr creative commons
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
