World Breast Feeding Week Observed
Prime Minister directed implementation of Alternative Child Food Act

 
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed the authorities concerned to enforce the Alternative Child Food Marketing Act at all levels and stressed immediate need for separate management of the entire spectrum of nutrition programmes. She also instructed the Ministry of Health and the Breastfeeding Foundation to work jointly to ensure children's breastfeeding and their comprehensive food as well as necessary nutrition of the mothers.

Addressing the inaugural function of the World Breastfeeding Week (2009) at the city's Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Sunday, the 2nd August 2009, Sheikh Hasina also declared that from now on August 1-7 will be observed governmentally as the National Breastfeeding Week. Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, Adviser to the Prime Minister for Health and Family Welfare Prof. Dr Syed Mudasser Ali and Breastfeeding Foundation Chairperson Dr SK Roy also addressed the function. On behalf of WHO Bangladesh Dr Duangvadee Sungkhobol, WHO Country Representative to Bangladesh   received a crest from the Prime Minister for the outstanding contribution in this filed. A few other individuals and institutions were also given crests at the function for their outstanding role in ensuring proper maternal and child healthcare.

The Prime Minister announced that the government will take immediate steps to set up Daycare Centre along with a Breas-tfeeding Corner at every government office. She also urged the authorities of private banks, insurance companies, shopping malls, hospitals to set up breastfeeding corners. "Without making necessary arrangement for the working mothers at their offices, we cannot expect cent- percent breastfeeding of the children. There is no alternative to breastfeeding for rearing children as both physically and mentally healthy grownups,” she told the function.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) and Save the Children jointly arranged the function. The World Breastfeeding Week was observed across the globe this year with the theme 'Breastfeeding - a Vital Emergency Response. Are You Ready?" Sheikh Hasina also directed the Health Ministry to set up Breastfeeding Corner with each of the 18,000 community health clinics to be restarted across the country under the government's massive plan to ensure quality and cheap health facilities for the rural people. The Prime Minister urged mothers to breastfeed their children as she said breastfeeding is the only complete and safe food for the kids. She mentioned statistics of UNICEF that through breastfeeding of all children till 6 months after birth over 15 lakh children can be protected from early deaths.