UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospitals project launched in Jordan

AMMAN — The first phase of the project, "Establishing a Quality Recognition Programme for Baby-Friendly Hospitals", was launched at UNICEF on Wednesday, under the Patronage of Health Minister Mahmoud Sheyyab.

UNICEF Deputy Representative in Jordan Ettie Heggins voiced UNICEF's appreciation to Sheyyab for signing the protocol, which aims at encouraging the formation of an effective monitoring system to guarantee the success of Baby-Friendly Hospitals.

The Baby-Friendly Hospitals Initiative (BFHI) is a global effort to implement practices that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) website. 

"Over-half of all under-five deaths occur during the neonatal period in Jordan", Heggins said, adding that "preventable causes of neonatal deaths can be averted with proven cost effective interventions to ensure new-borns' best start to life".

She stressed UNICEF's keenness to support the government in enhancing the quality of the maternity and infant departments in hospitals, especially in underprivileged areas and host communities. 

The BFHI initiative seeks to strengthen the maternity sections in a ten-step process, put an end to the breast milk substitutes handed to mothers at hospitals, and provide neonatal education to staff and mothers, Heggins said.

Health Care Accreditation Council CEO Salma Jaouni underlined that the BFHI was launched by the WHO and UNICEF in 1991, and is currently being implemented in more than 152 countries. 

The initiative has proven its significance in increasing the probability of exclusive breastfeeding for infants during the first six months of life, she noted, adding that stakeholders in the Jordanian project include the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, university hospitals, the Royal Medical Services and the private sector.      

During the event, Eman Badran, a paediatric professor, outlined the importance of breastfeeding for infants, citing figures of initiation of breastfeeding (first contact between the mother and her child) and exclusive breastfeeding (breastfeeding up to the first six months of life). 

She stressed the need to raise public awareness on the importance of breastfeeding which, she said, will be provided by the BFHI.