Kampala — The health ministry has initiated a breastfeeding campaign to reduce child mortality rates. Iganga and Jinja hospitals were identified as model centres to embrace the project.

The programme is referred to as the Baby Friendly Health Facility Initiative (BFHI). It is funded by Nulife Food and Nutrition Intervention for Uganda in partnership with Community Support for Capacity Development. According to a Nulife study, 32% of the children in Iganga district are malnourished.

In June, 109 children were admitted to Iganga Hospital. Of these, 2% were suffering from malnutrition, Sister Beatrice Okotel, the head of nursing, told New Vision. Dr. Elizabeth Madraa, the head of food and nutrition in the health ministry, said 170,000 children died last year because their mothers fed poorly during pregnancy, while others died due to malnutrition.

She said 16,200 children were in 2009 born underweight due to anaemia in their mothers. Madraa, who is also the lead facilitator of BFHI, noted that anaemia claimed 15,000 mothers in 2009. Through the initiative, Madraa said health workers would encourage pregnant mothers to have balanced diets and also excusively breastfeed their babies up to six months before introducing other foods.

She added that health workers will monitor the progress of mothers and their babies. Madraa said only 42% of mothers deliver from government facilities, adding that most of them are aided by traditional birth attendants. She noted that breastfeeding is a family planning method.

Madraa encouraged mothers living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral treatment to breastfeed, saying the 2010 World Health Organisation declaration in Zimbabwe gave the go-ahead.