Press Release
DH in full support of breastfeeding
31 July, 2004
The Department of Health is fully committed to promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding and has organised a series of promotional activities to tie in with this year's World Breastfeeding Week.
Dr Ivy Ng of DH's Family Health Service made the remark when speaking at the press conference on the World Breastfeeding Week 2004 held by the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Hong Kong Association today (July 31).
The theme this year is exclusive breastfeeding from birth to about six months, which is a global consensus on optimal feeding of infants to achieve optimal growth, development and health.
Dr Ng emphasised there was universal agreement that breastfeeding was best for all babies. The evidence-based, immediate and long-term benefits of breastfeeding for infants and their mothers, as well as the cost benefits for families and the health care system, have been well recognised.
"DH fully supports and endorses exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by timely introduction of complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for two years of age or beyond," she said.
"According to surveys in DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs), the percentage of babies born in 2002 who have ever been breastfed was 66.6%. Among them, 12.4% continued to be exclusively breastfed for over four to six months. The figure showed a 6.4 % increase as compared to the situation in 1997. The main reason for mothers to stop breastfeeding was "not enough milk" (37%), followed by "back to work" (26%)."
To promote breastfeeding, MCHCs have been publicising and adopting the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding". The "International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes" is also implemented in all MCHCs.
MCHC staff are dedicated to helping the mothers to identify and solve their problems, and prevent them from prematurely stopping breastfeeding. Through structured training programmes as well as refresher courses and attachments, all MCHC staff are competent in providing up-to-date and effective breastfeeding coaching to mothers.
Besides, each MCHC has designated facilitators who are experienced nurses that help in arranging talks and support groups for antenatal and postnatal women and encouraging their family members to support breastfeeding.
In each region, there is one breastfeeding co-ordinator who is a lactation consultant. The co-ordinators actively participate in educational programmes to promote breastfeeding among government departments, community-based organisations and the general public.
"DH has organised a host of promotional activities during this year's World Breastfeeding Week. The activities include the broadcast of short advertisements on radio as well as a poster campaign in MTR and railway stations. We will also set up a promotional booth in the "International Baby Product Expo" and distribute new poster to all MCHCs, hospitals and doctors in Hong Kong," Dr Ng said.
"We sincerely hope that through the promotional efforts and the continued efforts of all parties concerned, mothers can have sufficient information, support and encouragement on breastfeeding. They can then proceed with the gold standard, ie, exclusive breastfeeding for the better health of our children in Hong Kong," she said.