Korle-Bu now designated as a Baby Friendly Hospital

Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Health, on Wednesday urged nursing mothers to practise exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of delivery since breast milk contains all the nutrients and antibodies which prevent infections.

He said the practice of exclusive breast-feeding would discourage negative practices like discarding of cholesterol, giving of water to babies and the early introduction of complementary feeding.

Dr Anane was speaking at a ceremony in Accra to designate Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital as a Baby-Friendly Institution.

He said breast milk is one of the world's greatest "life savers", but the current epidemiological constraints, especially with HIV/AIDS, is serving as a hindrance to some mothers.

"This requires that we take a rather liberal attitude towards optimising infant nutrition since baby friendliness embraces all forms of child survival including other optimal forms of infant nutrition and care".

He, therefore, reiterated the ministry's aim of providing maternal care services to all health facilities, both private and public, to be baby friendly in the near future.

Dr Anane said at least 20 more health facilities would be designated as Baby Friendly by the middle of next year.

He called for the formation of women's groups in the communities to support breast-feeding mothers.

"Such groups are very relevant in our local settings since about 57 per cent of deliveries occur outside health facilities," he said.

Dr Henry Holdbrook-Smith, Chief Executive of the Korle Bu Hospital said the maternity ward delivers 70 babies adding, "being baby friendly makes us feel proud as a teaching hospital though is long overdue".

He urged all mothers to encourage exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months and commended the staff of the maternity block for their hard work to achieve the new status.