- Over the past years, the provincial health sector has implemented many practical solutions to encourage, support and promote breastfeeding, gradually raising awareness and changing people's behavior. Thereby, contributing to improving children's stature and health, reducing diseases, healthcare costs and creating a foundation for sustainable development of future generations.
At the end of June 2025, Nong Thi Thanh received us in her small house in Na Sam commune, holding her nearly 4-month-old baby in her arms: Unlike the first birth, this second baby has been exclusively breastfed since birth. Before, I thought I didn't have enough milk for my baby so I had to buy formula. But after being informed many times by medical staff , I realized that if I breastfeed my baby properly and regularly, my milk supply will increase. Now my baby is gaining weight well and is very smart.
Ms. Thanh is one of thousands of women in the province who have changed their perceptions after being exposed to communication and breastfeeding support programs organized by the provincial health sector. In recent years, breastfeeding is no longer a “mother’s private matter” but has become an important task in the province’s maternal and child health care.
World Breastfeeding Week 2025 (August 1-7) with the theme “Prioritizing Breastfeeding: Building Sustainable Support Systems” highlights the importance of establishing strong care, advice and support systems for mothers throughout their breastfeeding journey. |
Accordingly, the provincial health sector has paid attention to and widely deployed the communication work on the benefits of breastfeeding from the Provincial General Hospital, 10 regional health centers, 65 commune and ward health stations and stations. From 2021 to present, the whole province has organized nearly 500 direct communication sessions in the community, attracting more than 25,000 pregnant women and mothers with young children to participate. In particular, the content of breastfeeding is always integrated into propaganda sessions, prenatal check-ups, postpartum counseling, and care for children under 2 years old.
At the same time, all medical staff and employees have implemented well and in accordance with the provisions of Circular 38 dated October 31, 2016 of the Ministry of Health on some measures to promote breastfeeding at the unit, Decree 100 dated November 6, 2014 of the Government on trading and using nutritional products for young children, feeding bottles and artificial nipples. In particular, the units have maintained counseling activities for pregnant women and postpartum mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding, guiding mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children for the first 6 months, breastfeeding for up to 24 months and how to maintain breast milk supply.
Doctor Nguyen Thi Hang, Department of Reproductive Health Care and Obstetrics, Cao Loc Regional Medical Center informed: Implementing Circular 38, the department has issued regulations on the implementation of "Ten conditions for breastfeeding" at medical examination and treatment facilities in a common, easy-to-understand language and is regularly disseminated to doctors and medical staff to directly advise mothers during hospitalization, instruct on the correct breastfeeding position, and encourage early skin-to-skin contact and exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months.
Along with communication, the provincial health sector also focuses on building a team of grassroots health workers with sufficient skills to advise and support mothers. Every year, the health sector organizes periodic training on breastfeeding counseling for nearly 200 nutrition and reproductive health care specialists at commune health stations.
Ms. Le Thi Kieu Oanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Nutrition, Provincial Center for Disease Control, said: We identify improving the skills of grassroots staff as the foundation for effective support for mothers. In addition to training, the center also develops easy-to-understand visual communication materials and sends them to each health station. In addition, the center also compiles clips instructing on techniques for breastfeeding, expressing, and storing breast milk to broadcast through the commune's loudspeaker system or on the industry's social network.
Thanks to synchronous measures, the rate of women giving birth at medical facilities and receiving propaganda and guidance on breastfeeding in the province every year reaches and exceeds the set target: in 2024 it reached 99.8%, exceeding the set target (over 97%); by the end of June 2025 it reached 99.9%. Thereby, creating conditions for children to receive natural nutrition, improve resistance, physical condition, and limit malnutrition. As a result, the rate of children with weight/height malnutrition in children under 5 years old decreased each year. In 2024, it was 6.9%, down 0.4% compared to 2023.
Source: https://baolangson.vn/lan-toa-yeu-thuong-tu-dong-sua-me-5054852.html
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