By Alhagie Babou Jallow
& Jainaba Kargbo
The Senior Program Officer at National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) has underscored the significance of creating awareness of support staff on the importance of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative BFHI concept.
Mrs. Fatou Drammeh explained that breastfeeding is a crucial component of a child and therefore reaching out to the hospital’s support staff such as cleaners, drivers, and securities aims to ensure all hands are on deck to complement each other’s efforts including nurses and midwives to promote breastfeeding at the facility level.
She called on pregnant women and mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding as well as seek advice on the preparation of complementary foods. She went on to explain that feeding bottles and teats are against the principle of promoting breastfeeding and call on participants to be observant.
Alpha Mballow, Nutrition Field Officer at Essau Health Directorate described the event as important. He said there is a need to ensure that all deliveries conducted at the facility level are breastfed within 1hour after birth.
He added that the awareness program targeting support staff will bring about positive change in reastfeeding.
Haddy Crookes, Senior Program Officer coordinating Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative BFHI said the awareness program would contribute to creating public awareness of the significance of breastfeeding and early initiation. The active participation of support staff to complement the work of nurses and midwives to ensure the facility attends certification.
Mam Ngorr Ndow, the Chief Security Officer at the hospital thanked NaNA for raising awareness on the importance of breastfeeding and assured of their unflinching support for the initiative.
Fabakary Bass, the Nutrition Field Coordinator at NaNA calls on support staff to be proactive and committed to the implementation of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. He said sensitization of mothers and pregnant women on breastfeeding is fundamental and contributes to the attainment of meeting the target.
Amie Sonko of Essau described exclusive breastfeeding as an important ingredient to the development of the child. She illustrated that breastfeeding promotes health and by extension of family planning.
