DG health for creating awareness on child nutrition

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Director General Health Services Dr Ayub Roz has urged the medical field force in general, pediatricians and  gynecologists to create awareness regarding the benefits of breast feeding and child nutrition.

He was addressing an orientation workshop on ëíKhyber Pakhtunkhwa Breast Feeding and Child Nutrition Act 2015 held  by provincial Health Department in Collaboration with UNICEF here on Wednesday.

Dr Ayub Roz in his welcome address termed the issue of immense significance and said that no legislation could prove to  be fruitful unless it enjoyed support of the implementers and beneficiaries alike.

“Thousands of doctors and supporting staff both in public and private sectors were required to advise what was necessary for the health of a mother and her child.

He said that formula milk was preferred in some cases but it could not be considered a substitute for breast feeding, adding breast feeding was the basic right of each child and children should not be deprived of their rights.

Dr Ayub Roz remarked that medical practitioners were the best judges and therefore were collectively responsible for  making the right and appropriate decisions while providing prescriptions. Every one of us should take responsibility to advocate the cause of breast feeding, he said.

Dr Arshad on this occasion while making a presentation on the importance of breast feeding said that the first 1000 days happened to be the most critical period in the life of a child as this was the point where he/she becomes a hero at from zero at conception.  He said that breast feeding not only was beneficial for child but for mother as well. He informed that the first milk, colostrums can protect a child from allergy, infection, jaundice.

Reflecting on the history of decline in breast feeding, he said that industrialization in the western world, germ theory and promotion of the formula milk since 1915 has been playing central role in the decline of breast feeding. Prof Amin Jan also made a presentation about the importance of the breast feeding.  Similar workshops would also be conducted I at regional and district level.

The workshop was attended by pediatricians, gynecologist and general masses besides Additional DG Health Dr. Tahir Khilji and Prof. Sadaqat Jan.

Itís worth mentioning that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Breast feeding and child nutrition act was passed in 2015 and rules were notified in 2017.