Sharjah Welcomes International Expert As Part Of Its Goal To Improve Into A Global Leader In Child Birth-friendly Facilities

Sharjah is stepping up its efforts to upgrade the standards at its health facilities and become a world leader in childbirth-friendliness. As part of this goal, the emirate has invited an internationally respected Consultant, Educator and Lecturer on Infant and Child-Feeding, to pinpoint areas where it can improve further.The expert, MsRandaSaadeh, has previously served as Coordinator of Nutrition in the Lifecourse Unit at the Nutrition Department of the World Health Organization’s Geneva office.She has played an instrumental role in launching, implementing, expanding and integratingthe Baby-Friendly Health Institutions initiative.

Sharjah has been a regional role model in creating a breastfeeding culture. Its four-pillar approach targeting nurseries, workplaces, public places and health facilities is a unique example of how child feeding practices can be improved and breastfeeding anchored as the widely-accepted norm.According to a report from “Save the Children” - a non-governmental organization promoting children’s welfare -currently the world’s 10 most child-friendly countries are Japan, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, the UK and the Netherlands. However Sharjah aims to learn from international success stories and blend them with its own local insights to rapidly rise into the global Top 10.

After touring various facilities and interviewing health professionals and mothers, theinfant-feeding expert compiled detailed feedback that will help the Sharjah Baby-Friendly campaignto raisethe standards at health facilities.

Commenting on the expert’s visit, DrHessaKhalfan Al Ghazal, Director of the Executive Committee of the Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign said: “Sharjah has several advantages that can help us overtake the world’s major metropolises in baby-friendliness. Firstly we have a smaller population, so we enjoy much closer interaction with our facilities and more personal relationships with the mothers. Secondly we have a very family-oriented culture, so the hospital staff automatically become the mother’s adopted family before, during and after childbirth. Thirdly we have a highly supportive government that is not just satisfied with achieving the highest standards in the region, but also in the world. In thefew days of MsSaadeh’s visit, we have gained many years worth of experience by learning from international success stories, while also sharing our own successes to inspire other countries.”

Thecampaign has been focusing on some hot-button topics that have become big talking points worldwide, such as “Acceptable medical reasons for use of breast milk substitutes”; “Worldwide progress in breastfeeding” and “Seven points for baby-friendly health centers”. This has involved interviews with hospital staff, care givers and post-partum mothers - including those who are feeding their infants artificial formula, in order to get their points of view.

MsRandaSaadeh described what she has learned in her assessment of Sharjah’s facilities: “When I compare Sharjah’s performance with leading countriesin baby-friendliness, Sharjah is working hard to narrow the gap. I was particularly impressed with its innovative use of multimedia in educating mothers, as well as the certifications offered by the campaign to motivate more hospitals to adopt baby-friendly standards. Health facilities are the first line of defense in raising breastfeeding rates, because they interact with mothers before, during and after childbirth.Basedon the extensive experience with WHO,certainareas of improvement have been suggested to help Sharjah raise its performance to the next level. This emirate can be a shining example of how various partners can collaborate for the good of our children and mothers.”

The Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign was initiated in March 2012 under the generous patronage of Her Excellency SheikhaBudoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and President of the Campaign. The campaign encompasses four initiatives: Breastfeeding-Friendly Nurseries, Mother and Baby-Friendly Public Places, Mother-Friendly Workplaces and Baby-Friendly Health Facilities. The campaign is sponsored by Sharjah Islamic Bank.

Emirate:  Sharjah

Date: Dec 10, 2013

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