Doubts raised over WHO’s ‘exclusive breastfeeding’ advice

A breastfeeding mother

The world health organisation, WHO in 2001 setout a recommendation on infant feeding, describing breastfeeding as an unequalled way of providing ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants, and an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of mothers.

“As a global public health recommendation, infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health,” the world health body said.

It added: “Thereafter, to meet their evolving nutritional requirements, infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond.”

However, the WHO had some reservations on exclusive breastfeeding in instances where a few medical conditions exist, but added that unrestricted exclusive breastfeeding results in ample milk production as well.

CIAM: Enhancing the understanding of health journalists…

The Public Health Research and Development Centre (CIAM) recently held a week-long (March 21-25) training for the association of health journalists (AOHJ-The Gambia) on research and information dissemination.

The initiative is part of the project “Strengthening Capacity to Utilise Research Evidence in Policy Making in The Gambia”, which is supported by the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva and the Welcome Trust in the United Kingdom (UK). 

Nationwide polio campaign kicks offs

Health officials urge parents to make available children for vaccination 

The 2011 national immunisation campaign against polio has been launched by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare at the Kanifing Municipality Council (KMC) on March 25.

The campaign, ending on March 28, 2011 targets children from five years of age and below. A second round is already slated from April 22-25, 2011.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare Fatim Badjie said the National Immunisation Days (NIDs) is one of the strategies of polio eradication initiative (PEI), which is an international initiative declared by the World Health Assembly in May 1988.

Prolonged Breastfeeding ‘May Harm Babies’ Health’

http://nayank80.blogspot.com/2011/01/prolonged-breastfeeding-may-harm-babies.html#more

A breastfeeding mother. Pix by REX

BREASTFEEDING EXCLUSIVELY for six months may put babies off some foods and increase their risk of allergies, obesity and iron deficiency, an expert report reveals today.

The highly controversial study, published in the British Medical Journal, raises serious questions about the Government’s advice to hold off giving babies any solid food until they are six months old.

The authors – who include Professor Alan Lucas, director of the largest child and nutrition research centre in Europe, and Professor Ian Booth, an expert in paediatrics and child health at Edinburgh University – are now calling for a review of the guidance.