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Breastfeeding: An Introduction
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Breastfeeding (BF) is the basic and foremost right of a newborn. It is natural for all mothers to
Breastfeed their babies. A plethora of international research has established and continues to
confirm breast-milk, which the poorest family can afford, is the single most important and comprehensive
element of infant nutrition and protection. It is the best diet for babies, strengthens their immune system,
and significantly lowers the risk of malnutrition, diarrhea, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, allergic
illnesses, otitis media and even non-infectious diseases like insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. According to
UNICEF about 1.5 million babies die every year because they are not breastfed. Many more suffer from infectious
diseases and malnutrition.
Although matchless superiority of breastfeeding is unquestionably proved for decades, but breastfeeding
rates have declined across the globe alarmingly. Major causes are unethical marketing practices of
Breastmilk Substitutes Manufacturers, rapid urbanization and social misconceptions. This decline in
breastfeeding practices has led to high mortality and morbidity amongst children and is responsible for
the economic and disease burden.
Breastfeeding: A Critical Link with MDGs
This will also help in achieving Millennium Development Goals 1 and 4. The Goal 1 calls for eradicating
extreme poverty and hunger. Breastfeeding significantly contributes to low cost, high quality food and
sustainable food security for a baby. Goal 4 calls for reducing child mortality. By reducing diarrhea and
Acute Respiratory Infections, Breastfeeding can readily reduce child mortality by about 13% and improved
complementary feeding would reduce child mortality by about 6%. In addition, about 50-60% of Under-Five
mortality is caused by malnutrition due to inadequate complementary foods and feeding following on poor
BF practices and also to low birth weight.
Having recognized the link between breast milk substitute and infant mortality, UNICEF and WHO
developed ‘International Code of Marketing of Breast milk Substitute’ in 1981. Pakistan was amongst
those 118 countries that endorsed the code in the same year.
Situation in Pakistan
In Pakistan, the infant mortality rate is 74/1000 live births indicating that around 400,000 babies
are likely to die during their first year of life. According to estimates 11 percent deaths take place
due to diarrhea and Acute Respiratory Infections. However, 22 percent of all neonatal deaths could be
prevented if breastfeeding (BF) is initiated within one hour by all mothers. However, due to ignorance
among general population and unethical marketing practices by the corporate sector, the percentage of
breastfeeding is very low in Pakistan.
TheNetwork for Consumer Protection (TN) sensing the need to protect the breastfeeding practices in
Pakistan from the unethical practices of the baby milk manufacturers started its project in 1996 to
identify and draw attention to obstacles in Pakistan which undermine the right of women to breastfeed
their babies and the right of their children to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health. TN also
took on the responsibility of countering and exposing the tactics of the multinationals producing baby
milk formulas in this respect.
Vision of the Project
“To protect Breastfeeding in Pakistan so that the infants and children can achieve the maximum attainable
standard of Health and Nutrition”
Objectives of the Project:
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Protection of the Breastfeeding practices in Pakistan by advocacy for development of effective laws and
polices on Breastfeeding and their subsequent implementation.
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Health education to consumer and health workers about benefits of mother’s milk, hazards of artificial
feeding including the vessels used for this purpose e.g. feeding bottles teats and the unethical marketing
practices of breastmilk substitute manufacturers.
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Provision of optimum opportunities to mothers to breastfeed by the formulation and adoption of legislation
on maternity rights with respect to breastfeeding.
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Contribute towards National and international networking by undertaking policy and operational research
to fill knowledge gaps.
Activities of the Project:
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Monitoring of baby food industry’s compliance with the international code of marketing of Breast milk
substitutes and the recently promulgated ‘Breastfeeding Ordinance’
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Lobbying the Government of Pakistan for the enactment of legislation implementing the international
code and monitoring.
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Conducting workshops for health worker on their responsibilities under the International code and
eventually the proposed protection of Breastfeeding and Young child Nutrition act.
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Providing technical facilitation to workplaces as they become Mother-Friendly.
TheNetwork’s Role on BF Ordinance
According to findings of TheNetwork’s survey in health facilities of Pakistan (Feeding Fiasco, 1998)
followed by a report of corporate watch (Milking Profits), it became evident that not a single company was
abiding by the International Code in its entirety. The evidence provided in the report developed the rationale
to play an active and supportive role to draft and promulgate the BF Ordinance 2002. Hence, TN remained
instrumental behind BF Ordinance while working closely with Nutrition Wing, MoH and UNICEF. On 26 October 2002,
the Government of Pakistan promulgated the Protection of Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Ordinance 2002, the
purpose of which, in its own words, was to “ensure safe and adequate nutrition for infants and young children by
promoting and protecting breast-feeding, and by regulating the marketing and promotion of designated products,
including breast milk substitutes…” In recognition of this work, TheNetwork has been made a member of National
Infant Feeding Board (NIFB) of MoH and Breastfeeding Steering Committee, MoH.
However, the Government has yet to issue all the rules and regulations needed to implement the Ordinance and
Ministry of health is the key institution to make it happen. Meanwhile, there are clear indications that the
Ordinance is being violated: for example, the formula milk industry continues to advertise its products in the
media; most health workers are unaware of the Ordinance.
For further inquiries:
Ms. Rubina Bhatti
Project Coordinator - Protection of Breastfeeding and Young Child Nutrition
+92-51-2261085
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