Report On Awareness Raising Programme On Exclusive Breastfeeding
Source:
Alliance for Peace, Education and Development Nepal
(APED-Nepal) organized an awareness raising programme on exclusive
breastfeeding in Landmark International School, Kirtipur on occasion of
International Day of prayer and action for children on 20th of November 2010, Saturday. The programme was organized in coordination with Adharbhut Prasuti Sewa Kendra, APSK (Basic Maternity Service Centre), Kalanki and Midwife Society of Nepal. The
programme gave information on health benefits of breastfeeding for
infants and nursing mothers and ways of practicing exclusive
breastfeeding for working mothers.
The
programme started at 1.30 pm with more than two hundred people of the
community present in the programme. There were about 50 men, 35 children
and rest of audience were women. There were more than 20 mothers with
infants present in the programme. The programme started with the introduction of DPAC from Executive Director of APED-Nepal, Mr. Dadhiram Khanal. He
said that the programme organized by APED-Nepal was the only programme
on exclusive breastfeeding among 63 events being organized on 43
countries. He said ‘it is fundamental right of the infant to be
breastfed till six months’. He called the community members, religious
leaders work actively together to create awareness on exclusive
breastfeeding.
On the occasion, senior midwife and president of Midwifery society of Nepal, Rashmi Rajopadhyaya
discussed the positive impact of exclusive breastfeeding on mother’s
health. ‘Mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies till six months
have low probability of breast cancer and also enjoy the benefits of
natural contraception’, she said. Similarly, Amala Maharjan,
senior nurse working on NICU of Prasuti Griha (Maternity Hospital) spoke
on the impact of exclusive breastfeeding on the health of child. She
said that infants who are breastfeed exclusively for six months have
greater immunity power and also have significant rate of physical and
mental development in comparison to infants who are not exclusively
breastfed till six months. She also discussed various postures and
methods in which a mother can breastfeed newborn infant.
Dr. Nancy Krr,
Senior Gynecologist from United States of America said that exclusive
breastfeeding is gaining importance in developing world. She said that
‘developing country like Nepal can make significant improvement in
infant mortality if infants are exclusive breastfed till six months. ‘I
am happy to see the presence of men in the programme’, she said. Dr. Krr
said that breastfeeding women need lot of support from the family
members and that husband’s support is crucial.
On the programme, Neeti Aryal Khanal,
programme coordinator of APED-Nepal shared her experience of practicing
exclusive breastfeeding as a working mother. She said that working
mother can express her milk in her free time and store it. She
gave information on right way of feeding expressed milk to infant. She
said that ‘I regret to say I did know about exclusive breastfeeding when
I had my first child. Many people are surprised to hear that I am
practicing exclusive breastfeeding while continuing my job’. Ms. Khanal
said that, APED-Nepal organized the programme on occasion of DPAC so
that as many people as possible know about exclusive breastfeeding so as
to make a significant impact on reducing infant mortality of Nepal.
On the occasion, managing director of APSK, Laxmi Tamang
urged the participants to share this information to as many people as
possible to take effective steps to decrease infant mortality in Nepal.
She also gave information on free health camps for mothers and infants
that her organization conducts every year on different occasion. She
thanked APED-Nepal for organizing the programme. ‘We look forward to
work together with APED-Nepal in future’, she said.
Mr. Angadmani Gautam,
executive member of Landmark International School thanked APED-Nepal,
APSK and Midwifery Society of Nepal for organizing informative
programme. Mr. Banwari Prasad Shah, President of Landmark International
School closed the programme for thanking everyone for being present in
the programme. The programme was conducted by Ms. Rajyalaxmi Shrestha, vice principal of the Landmark International School.
The
programme closed with the tea and snacks. During this, members and
volunteers of APED-Nepal collected feedback from participants. Basanti
Shrestha, a bank worker and expectant mother found programme very
helpful. She was able to breastfeed her first child actively as she was
not working. ‘I was worried about not being able to breastfeed my second
child longer. Thanks to information provided by Ms. Neeti and health
professionals, I will practice exclusive breastfeeding and not feed
other things to second child before six months’. A grandmother of two
grandchildren present in the programme said that though her
grandchildren are now grown up, however she will encourage other
relatives to practice exclusive breastfeeding. A group of 11 women
students studying in Tribhuvan University unanimously said that the
programme was very beneficial. 5 unmarried women students teasingly
shared with other 6 married ones that ‘your time is gone, but at least
we knew about this on time’.
The
programme also received good media exposure. We had sent all the press
releases prior the programme and also short news after the programme.
Kantipur F.M, a popular FM radio station in Nepal relayed information of
the event in the morning of DPAC programme. This helped to increase the
number of our participants. The detailed news of the programme was
published by Gorkhapatra Daily (Nepali) on 21st November 2010. Similarly, Radio Nepal, the national radio of Nepal gave news on the programme on evening of 20th
November based on the news release we had sent them. Similarly,
Kantipur F.M also broadcasted the news of the programme on the same
evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment