We close the World Breastfeeding Week with more than 30 activities nationwide – Ministry of Public Health

2023-08-09 00:57:06

Quito, August 08, 2023

Breast-feed and work: let’s make it possible! was the motto with which the World Breastfeeding Week was commemorated, from August 1 to 7, through activities and actions carried out by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) throughout the territory.

With a great event in Quito, the opening of this conference was held, which included stands for breastfeeding advice and information on the rights of lactating mothers. The event was inaugurated by the Minister of Health, José Ruales, who explained that nationwide there are 9,060 public and private breastfeeding support rooms, which are certified by the MSP.

All the MSP zones were also activated to commemorate this initiative. Zone 1 of the country held the webinar Use and Operation of the Support Room for Breastfeeding and Benefits for Hospitalized Neonates. Likewise, it developed open houses, participatory fairs, meetings with midwives, educational and demonstrative talks.

In Zone 2, educational talks were held in the waiting rooms of health homes, open houses with breastfeeding support groups, and planning for the opening of a breastfeeding support room in State institutions.

In the facilities of the Ricpamba Park in Riobamba in Zone 3, a fair and a forum were held to publicize the benefits of breastfeeding for both babies and mothers, with this awareness was promoted to promote healthy growth and early attachment to the mother through breastfeeding.

In Health Zone 4, the XI The Best Breastfeeding Photo Contest 2023 was organized, along with educational tables, a virtual conversation and information stands in their health establishments.

The first level care units, basic and general hospitals of Health Zone 5 activated different actions to highlight the benefits and importance of breast milk in infant feeding and development. Support groups and nursing mothers enthusiastically participated in these sessions.

While, in Zonal 6 of the MSP, informative talks were activated to promote breastfeeding, especially in rural areas. Professionals exposed the techniques for extracting breast milk and its storage chain, and with this ensure breastfeeding to the child, during the working hours of their mothers.

Zone 7 recognized the breastfeeding support rooms in private entities in its locality, in the same way it provided counseling on prioritized package issues, breastfeeding and healthy eating.

In the same context, Zone 8 certified and inaugurated lactation support rooms in public and private institutions with the purpose of promoting and supporting breastfeeding for the benefit of optimal health, growth and development of infants throughout the world. In this way, she also plans a regional photography contest on breastfeeding for the end of the month.

In Quito, which corresponds to Health Zone 9, 33 public and private institutions were certified as Friends of Breast Milk, which guarantees that both health establishments and workplaces have policies that benefit mother and child, lactating. As a parallel activity, the MSP participated in the “Quito for Breastfeeding” fair organized by the Quito Municipal Health Department.

These activities were carried out with the objective of creating awareness and stimulating community and inter-institutional actions that promote breastfeeding. At this fair, health personnel from the Calderón and Luz Elena Arismendi Hospitals provided specialized and didactic information on the donation, processing, pasteurization of breast milk and the operation of human milk banks.

Breast milk has multiple benefits, including its contribution to the environment as it is a renewable resource, nourishes and protects against infections and death, protects breastfeeding mothers by reducing the risk of diseases such as diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer. . In addition, it increases productivity in workplaces where breastfeeding support policies are promoted.

The MSP ratifies its commitment to protect breastfeeding and promote it in the workplace so that mothers can continue breastfeeding their children while working.