VISAKHAPATNAM: "The Infant Milk Substitution (IMS) Act-making it known to the people" is the theme of this year's World Breast-feeding Week being celebrated from Tuesday by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Experts have been suggesting for the last many years that breast-feeding is the natural and ideal way of feeding the infant as it provided a unique biological and emotional basis for healthy child development. The infant was protected against diseases due to the anti-infective properties of mother's milk and breast-feeding was recognised as a key aspect of self-reliance and primary health care.

Strong intervention

But with extensive and pervasive promotion of infant milk substitutes and related products, which was on a higher pitch than the dissemination of information about the advantages of mother's milk and breast-feeding and resulted in decline in breast-feeding, it was decided to have a strong intervention in the shape of the Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods (regulation of production, supply and distribution) Act 1992 (the IMS Act). The Act came into operation from August 1, 1993.

Advertising of infant milk substitutes and feeding bottles and promotion of infant foods was banned according to the IMS Act. The Act also prescribed clear guidelines for production of educational material on infant feeding targeting pregnant or lactating women. Violation of the Act was punishable as a criminal offence.

Joint initiative

The Food and Nutrition Board which was celebrating the week every year in the north coastal Andhra, has chosen Visakhapatnam as the venue this year, informed the Demonstration Officer of the Food and Nutrition Board M.R. Venkateswarlu. The Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation, the District Women and Child Development Agency and the Jan Sikshan Sansthan were involved in the programme. Well baby shows, elocution and essay writing competitions were some of the programmes being arranged.

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