Kathmandu, October 15
The Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has issued the “Mother-Baby Friendly Health Institution Program Operation Directive, 2083” to protect, promote and support breastfeeding while ensuring the natural rights of mothers and newborns.
The new directive replaces the program that was previously run under the “Mother-Baby Friendly Services Campaign in Health Institutions Directive, 2073.” It was issued with additional provisions added to the old directive to make the program more systematic and effective.
The new directive sets 10 mandatory standards each for health institutions to follow for new mothers and for newborns. Its main objective is to ensure mother-baby friendly services at hospitals and health institutions and to deliver services according to the health, rights and needs of mothers and newborns.
According to the directive, health institutions must arrange for a family member of the mother’s choosing to be with her during childbirth. This is expected to boost the mother’s morale during labour and also help with the baby’s safety. The various physical changes women go through from pregnancy onward leave them emotionally vulnerable and insecure. Obstetricians and gynaecologists say a husband’s presence provides great psychological support at such a time.
According to obstetricians, with the husband present, labour pain is reduced, the risk of infection falls and the ICU admission rate drops by 50 percent. Whether it is a question of the woman’s privacy or psychological support, the husband’s presence makes a big difference.
The directive also gives priority to keeping the newborn with the mother in her bed rather than separating them after birth, and to starting breastfeeding as early as possible. By supporting effective enforcement of the Mother’s Milk Substitutes (Control of Sale and Distribution) Act, 2049, the directive will protect, promote and support breastfeeding by regulating the sale, distribution and promotion of products used as substitutes for mother’s milk.
The directive also requires health institutions to designate a focal person to check on the health of new mothers and newborns after they are discharged and return home, to provide needed counselling and support, and to identify possible problems.
The directive stresses creating an environment that supports breastfeeding, giving mothers the support they need and delivering services with the health and safety of mothers and newborns as the priority.
Through the new directive, the aim is to make the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding more systematic, ensuring continuity of mother- and newborn-friendly services from childbirth through the postnatal period.
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