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A healthier future begins with breastfeeding: Prof Dr KP Kushwaha

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Hyderabad: The 2 day’s largest lactation management and breast milk banking conference called the 4th International Conference, South Asian LAMBCON 2024 held on Sunday at Marie Gold Hotel in Ameerpet

Shri R.V. Karnan, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, MD, National Health Mission; Dr. Sridhar Prahlad Ryavanki, Health Specialist, UNICEF Field Office for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana Dr Zelalem Birhanu Taffesse   graced the inaugural

 Shri R.V. Karnan, Commissioner, Health and Family Welfare, MD, National Health Mission said C-Section is one of the reasons that affect early breastfeeding. The main focus of the Government of Telangana is to reduce the number of C-Sections. The efforts are also on to train nurses and others to promote early breastfeeding.

The newly launched Nurse Practitioner Midwifery Program of the Government is helping in promoting normal and natural childbirth as well as breastfeeding.  The Government will partner with Sushena Health Foundation to promote breastfeeding and Milk Bank Initiatives, he added.

Telangana’s first human milk bank was set up at Niloufer and their lactation management is the best model in the country he said.

UNICEF Field Office for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana Dr Zelalem Birhanu Taffesse said the whole society must be sensitised about the importance of breastfeeding, especially early breastfeeding and uninterrupted for the next six months. Partnership with the community will yield good results.  Participation of parents in such programs to continue breastfeeding for a longer time will also go a long way he added

I am happy to tell you that I was breastfed, he told the audience.

Dr Santosh Kumar, Kraleti, Member National Medical Commission, Founder and General Secretary, Sushena Health Foundation said 41.8% of babies in Telangana are breastfed early. In comparison, in India, 54% of babies experience early breastfeeding. We aim to see that this number is increased.

Furthermore, 90% of infant deaths can be prevented using the simple and accessible solution of breastfeeding and mothers’ milk banking. These statistics highlight that even the well-educated sections of our population are not fully aware of breastfeeding and lactation management Dr Santosh Kumar, Kraleti added.

The two-day conference began with several workshops spread across the city on Saturday and full day conference on Sunday

Dr Santosh Kumar said Dhaatri Breast Milk Bank runs Milk Banks in Niloufer, ESI, and Gandhi Hospitals and cannot provide breast milk to babies other than these hospitals. Hence, they wanted to set up the first of its Community Breast Milk Bank. Mr. Ashok Gupta, MD of Rockwell Industries announced that they would arrange voluntarily half an acre of land needed to set up the first-ever Community Breast Milk Bank in the city.  Ashok Gupta also assured with customised full material and equipment support if required.

Prof Dr Sushma Mallik was honoured with the Dhaatri Lifetime Achievement Award. 

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