UNICEF mission to save children by early initiation of breastfeeding in Dhubri

A Correspondent

DHUBRI: ‘Breastfeeding: Foundation of life’ is the theme of the UNICEF campaign this year with a mission to save children. In all the seven health blocks of Dhubri district, the campaign was carried out by 1,856 ASHA workers and health workers at the initiation of UNICEF. The campaign received an overwhelming response from the women of the villages.

Breastfeeding within an hour of birth is important for survival of the child and it was observed that there was a missionary zeal among most of ASHA workers to take this mission forward. Dhubri district UNICEF consultant, Prabal Mukherjee, on the sidelines of the programme at Halakura Health Block, informed that India ranked 56 out of 76 countries in terms of early initiation of breastfeeding.

“So World Breastfeeding Week in 2018 was celebrated with the theme ‘Breastfeeding: a foundation of life’. In Dhubri district, the major activities include taking out rally, healthy baby contest, awareness meeting regarding early initiation of breastfeeding and hand washing practices with the support of UNICEF. This year breastfeeding corner has been opened at Dhubri Civil Hospital,” Mukherjee further informed.

Mamoni Khatun of Halakura was gleaming with pride after her son won the healthy baby contest and said that she ensured breastfeeding her son within one hour of his birth. On the present status of breastfeeding in Dhubri district, a health official said, “As per Health Management Information System (HMIS) data, breastfeeding within one-hour of birth is above 99 per cent while U5MR as per HMIS is 26 per 1,000 live birth but as per NFHS 4 data in Assam, it is 53 per 1,000 live births, while district wise NFHS data is not available.” However, there are five out of seven health blocks- Raniganj, Dharmasala, South Salmara, Gajarikandi, and Golkganj -with a population of over 3.5 lakh each while Chapor and Halakura are the two smaller health blocks with a population of 1.75 lakh each.