Date:11/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/11/stories/2006081114400300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Call to educate rural women on importance of breastfeeding

Staff Reporter

World Mother's Milk Week celebrations organised

HEALTH ISSUES: Zilla Parishad Chairperson T. Kavitha presenting a prize to a little girl at a function organised to highlight the importance of breastfeeding in Anantapur on Thursday.

ANANTAPUR: Zilla Parishad Chairperson T. Kavitha has stressed the need for creating awareness among women in rural areas on the importance of breastfeeding newborns. Speaking at a function organised here on Thursday she asked the women and child welfare and medical and health departments and non- governmental organisations to give wide publicity in rural areas on the importance of mother's milk for infants' health.

She said that mother's milk would not only help in the physical health of children but would also help them grow mentally. Only cow milk could be given as an alternative feed to mother's milk when the mother is not in a position to feed the child or is ill. Women should breastfeed their newborns immediately after giving birth, she suggested.

`Allay misgivings'

Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad K. Sripathi Rao said it was the responsibility of the departments concerned to allay misgivings about breastfeeding newborns immediately after birth.

Cultural programmes

Later, the staff of Integrated Child Development Scheme created awareness on the importance of breastfeeding with cultural programmes. In-charge Project Director of ICDS Chinmaya Devi and others participated.