With a view to check infant mortality rate, the Punjab government has decided to promote breastfeeding in the province through legislation and other steps. Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Khawaja Imran Nazir, while chairing a meeting of newly re-constituted Infant Feeding Board, here on Tuesday, said that breastfeeding is a must for better growth of infants, prevention of diseases and checking infant mortality rate.
For this purpose, necessary amendments would be made in the Breastfeeding Act, which may be finalised by 31st July, he added. He said that comprehensive awareness drive through media would also be launched for the promotion of breastfeeding. Imran also said the objective of proposed amendments is to prevent the children from diseases as breastfeeding is important segment of disease prevention programme.
Provincial Director Integrated Reproductive Mother, Newborn and Child Health & Nutrition Programme Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed, Additional Director Dr Akhtar Rasheed Malik, representatives of Baby Milk Manufacturers Association, female members of Punjab Assembly and others attended the meeting. While briefing the board, Dr Akhtar Rasheed informed that necessary amendments have been proposed in the Breastfeeding Act after taking all the stakeholders including manufacturers of formula milk products on board.
He further said that breastfeeding promotion committees would be constituted in all public sector hospitals. It was also proposed that the formula milk manufacturer companies would be bound to write instructions in Urdu on labels just like warning written on the cigarette packet. Dr Akhtar Rasheed said that orientation and implementation strategy would be prepared with the collaboration of stakeholders and monitoring inspectors would also be deputed to ensure implementation.
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