KARACHI, Jan 20: Nine hospitals have been declared baby-friendly throughout the province by the provincial bread-feeding steering committee on Tuesday.

This announcement was made at a ceremony in which the hospitals were given baby-friendly status. The hospitals included Ghani Hospital, Hyderabad, Memon Medical Complex, Karachi, Mother-Care Hospital, Karachi, Murad Memon Goth Maternity Home, Gadap Town, Shoukat Omar Memorial Hospital (Fauji Foundation), Karachi, Sukhar Hospital Sukhar, Kulsoom Bai Valika Social Security Hospital, Karachi, Murshid Hospital and Health Care Centre Karachi and Shah Latif Bhittai Government Hospital Hyderabad.

The programme baby-friendly hospital initiative was launched by the government in 1992 to create awareness about healthy practices of breast-feeding at both community and hospital level.

The speakers observed that exclusive breast-feeding reduces chances of Vitamin-A deficiency, as mothers receiving micronutrient supplements will pass on these to babies through milk and give protection to babies. It would reduce infectious disorders among children.

Ashiq Hussain Memon, Provincial Health Secretary, speaking on the occasion, said the government was trying to provide better health facilities to masses and stressed the need for continuity of the programme which has, so far, remained successful.

"We are trying to carry out capacity-building, assessment and reassessment of baby-friendly hospitals to ensure their working smoothly", he said, adding 59 baby-friendly hospitals in the province are a remarkable achievement.

He said the government would concentrate on developing a liaison with councillors at community level to bring a change in the attitude of mothers to achieve better results.

Prof. Noorjehan Samad in her address spoke about the care of healthy baby and healthy mother making a "baby-friendly community" through this programme and stressed the need for making a society of baby-friendly hospital.

Project Director of BFHI emphasised the importance of breast-feeding for a healthy growth of the child, as well as care of mothers during antenatal and postpartum periods.

She gave a comprehensive review of the 10-year success of the programme in Sindh. Provincial health secretary distributed plaques and certificates among the administration of baby-friendly declared hospitals.-PPI