Survey reveals low rates of initiation of breast feeding within an hour of birth nationally

However, West Bengal fares better than the national average in this respect. This situation calls for urgent supportive health systems, building alliances without conflict of interests, generating awareness amongst all stakeholders including new mothers and their families.

This was stated by N.N. Tiwari, Deputy Technical Adviser of Food and Nutrition Board under Union Ministry of Women and Child Development at a symposium on World Breastfeeding Week 2017 at M.R. Bangur Hospital, here on Tuesday.

The Chief Medical Officer of Health, South 24 Parganas, Dr. Asim Das Malakar stated, in more than 80 percent hospitals and health-care centres of South 24 Parganas, breast-feeding is initiated within an hour of birth.

Mentioning about Mother’s Absolute Affection, a central programme launched in August 2016 to promote breast-feeding, Tiwari further said, it is necessary to build an alliance locally with individuals and organisations free from conflicts of interest to garner support for breastfeeding action.

"Enumerating the benefits of exclusive breast-feeding of newborns for six months which drastically reduces diorrhoea by 50 percent, respiratory infection by one-third, contributes towards IQ growth of child and many other positive health benefits, he further informed, 156000 child-deaths, respiratory infections in 3436560 children can also be prevented by breastfeeding," Tiwari said.

This apart, he also stated, only 8.7 percent children at 6-8 months receive adequate diet. Hence, support for breastfeeding and ‘Infant and Young Child Feeding’ (IYCF) at the community level is critical.

Further, community needs to be made aware about the contributions of breast-feeding to maternal health like prevention of diabetes etc and that breast-feeding plays a significant role in addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), nutrition, education, poverty, inclusive economic growth and reducing inequalities.

Joint Director of ICDS, Nilanjan Bhattacharya opined that breastfeeding has to be turned into a mass-movement and mothers should be discouraged to feed infant milk substitutes to their babies under normal circumstances. The need of the hour is reflected in this year’s theme of World Breastfeeding Week - ‘Sustaining breastfeeding together’.

President of Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) in West Bengal, Dr. Parbati Sengupta stated, Government of India enacted the Infant Milk Susbstitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Food (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992 and Amendment Act 2003.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has urged all states for a strict enforcement of this law and also create awareness about it. Further, to support women for sustaining exclusive breastfeeding, Government has increased maternity leave to 26 weeks for all working women.