Wednesday 03 / July / 2024
Muscat: The Ministry of Health (MOH) celebrated on Monday, February 5, 2024, Khoula Hospital obtaining the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) under the theme “Together to support breastfeeding for healthier generations” ended up being the first government hospital in Oman to get this title.
The celebration was held under the auspice of H.E. Dr. Said Harib Al-Lamki, MOH Undersecretary for Health Affairs along with the presence of Dr. Rashid Al-Abri, Director General of Khoula Hospital and representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.
Dr. Salima Al-Mamari, MOH Director of Nutrition Department stressed that Khoula Hospital has met the BFHI requirements. The BFHI is launched by the WHO and UNICEF aiming to motivate hospitals to implement the ten steps encouraging mothers to successful breastfeeding.
The Ten Steps to successful breastfeeding are:
1- Having a written infant feeding policy that is routinely communicated to staff and parents, comply fully with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
2- Ensure that staff have sufficient knowledge, competence and skills to support breastfeeding
3- Discuss the importance and management of breastfeeding with pregnant women and their families.
4- Facilitate immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and support mothers to initiate breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth.
5- Support mothers to initiate and maintain breastfeeding and manage common difficulties.
6-Do not provide breastfed newborns any food or fluids other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
7- Enable mothers and their infants to remain together and to practice rooming-in 24 hours a day.
8- Support mothers to recognise and respond to their infants' cues for feeding.
9- Counsel mothers on the use and risks of feeding bottles, teats and pacifiers.
10- Establishing supportive groups to provide ongoing support and care for mothers after discharge.
It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Health has adopted the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative since the nineties when the WHO and UNICEF launched it to protect and support breastfeeding.
The Ministry sought to develop an integrated plan to implement this initiative by producing the National Guide for Baby-Friendly Hospitals, qualifying a national team to assess hospitals qualifying breastfeeding consultants from the medical staff and opening breastfeeding clinics.
In addition, BFHI re-accreditation occurs every three to five years. Khoula Hospital obtained the BFHI accreditation certificate in January 2024 for its leading role in neonatal healthcare and commitment to implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
At the end of the celebration, H.E. Dr. Said Harib Al Lamki, MOH Undersecretary for Health Affairs handed over the BFHI accreditation certificate to Dr. Rashid Al Abri, Director General of Khoula Hospital.
