The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services recognizes that breastfeeding is a unique process that provides ideal nutrition for infants and contributes to their growth and development. For this reason, the Primary Health Care Department collaborated with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and TCI Hospital to implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global effort launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. It was launched in 1991 in response to the Innocenti Declaration. The global BFHI materials have been revised, updated and expanded for integrated care. The materials reflect new research and experience, reinforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, support mothers who are not breastfeeding, provide modules on HIV and infant feeding and mother-friendly care, and give more guidance for monitoring and reassessment.
Since its launching, BFHI has grown with more than 152 countries around the world implementing the initiative. The initiative has measurable and proven impacts, i.e., increasing the likelihood of babies being exclusively breastfed for the first six months (180 completed days), followed by complementary foods and continued breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond.
This program aligns with the strategic initiative of the Maternity Division at the hospital and the Nutrition Services at the Ministry of Health. The BFHI lead project managers are Dr. Dawn Perry-Ewing and Mrs. Lakeisha Gardiner-Wilson.
The two main goals of BFHI are:
Transform hospitals and maternity facilities through implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
End the distribution of free and low-cost supplies of breast milk substitutes to health facilities.
Pan American Health Organization, Food and Nutrition Advisor, Dr. Audrey Morris and the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s Senior Technical Officer on Food and Nutrition, Ms. Christine Bocage will conduct a consultation visit on November 7-11, 2016 to assist TCI Hospital and the Primary Health Care Department in the advancing of this program and their successful certification.
The process to certification will be:
Phase 1 – Country visit and baseline assessment followed by recommendations
Phase 2 – Training of key staff on the BFHI program followed by development and implementation of an organizational-based training program.
Phase 3 – Set a date for BFHI accreditation.
Achievement of this initiative will require sensitization, a self-appraisal on the WHO/UNICEF 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, training and preparation using a multidisciplinary team approach.
