Date: 05/02/2004
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: G Ramokgopa: Leratong Hospital Baby Friendly Award ceremony
SPEECH BY GAUTENG HEALTH MEC, GWEN RAMOKGOPA, AT THE BABY FRIENDLY AWARD CEREMONY AT LERATONG HOSPITAL 5 February 2003
Programme Director
The Head of Department, Dr Rispel
Representatives from UNICEF
Hospital board members
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is for me a pleasure to join in this celebration to mark the awarding of this honour to our hospital. The award being given to Leratong Hospital today is another indication of our commitment to the children of this country.
As a government we have made children a priority and in the health sector our performance is judged on the quality of health of our children and mothers.
As you all know, South Africa joined the international community in 1994, two years after the baby friendly the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched initiative.
Since then and with the signing of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in 1995, the Department of Health has been actively involved in supporting public and private health facilities in providing appropriate maternity services to enhance the health our new born babies and their mother.
Children First remains our guiding principle and evidence shows concretely that we have made significant progress over the past ten years to protect the health of our children.
A study conducted by Wits University in 2002 found that number of children immunised in our province had grown by 3% to 79%. The study also showed that the public sector results are better than those in the private sector. We however have to improve on the on time vaccination of children and improve reporting from the private sector.
Through the integrated management of childhood illnesses we have managed to improve the ability of our health workers to assess danger signs correctly and ensure that priority essential drugs are available together with equipment and supplies necessary to support vaccination services.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital alone, managed to reduce the mortality of newborn babies by 32% by improving monitoring during labour and improving the resuscitation skills of labour ward staff. The Kangaroo Mother Care Units, which operate in eight of our hospitals, have increased the survival chances for our premature infants.
This award we are receiving today is confirmation that we are succeeding in making Gauteng a better place for children to live in.
There are several facilities already promoting and supporting breastfeeding in our province in line with the WHO and UNICEF guidelines. Mohlakeng Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was the first facility to receive this international award in Gauteng, followed by Parklane Clinic and now Leratong Hospital and Bekkersdal MOU have received this recognition. Lillian Ngoyi received a Certificate of Commitment. And of course we are encouraging other clinics and hospitals to work hard and achieve this. Our goal is to have at least 10% of our facilities declared baby friendly by the year 2006.
Studies show that breastfeeding rates in Gauteng are about 12% for the first three to four months of life. We all know that breast milk gives the baby the best start in life by providing all the nutrients a baby needs for the first six months of life. It has numerous benefits such as:
* Immunological factors that protect the baby and play a major role in preventing common illnesses especially diarrhoea and other infections
* It is easily digested by the baby
* Provides an excellent opportunity for bonding between mother and baby
* It is clean, safe, and affordable
* It costs less in terms of health care expenses, as breastfed infants get ill less often.
These are just some of the many benefits of breastfeeding.
Our challenge in Gauteng is to increase the percentage of mother who chooses to breastfeed. To achieve this we need to change a few practices such as:
* Promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding in the health facilities by changing the routines in the milk rooms of preparing bottles for all the new burns irrespective of whether the mother intends to breastfeed or not
* Educating mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding
* Supporting the mothers who have chosen to breastfeed
* Educating teenage mothers about the importance of breastfeeding
* Teaching working mothers to express breast milk so that they can continue to breastfeed.
As part of strengthening this initiative, the department is committed to:
* Support further training of health workers in lactation management
* Provide updated information on breastfeeding
* Continue to conduct workshops on breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS - to keep abreast of research in the interests of mothers and babies
* Support the relevant facilities to achieve the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative status by implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
* Support and mentor the community support groups.
Breastfeeding has always been best in nourishing our children. It is the cornerstone of optimal growth for our children, providing health, economic, social and environmental benefits for our community. The vicious and often fatal cycle of childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea, dehydration, ("phogoana") and malnutrition are results of unsafe, unhygienic diluted feeding methods. This problem can be avoided by simple information and promotion of breastfeeding.
So let us all work together in promoting, supporting and protect breastfeeding.
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
5 February 2004
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
Title: G Ramokgopa: Leratong Hospital Baby Friendly Award ceremony
SPEECH BY GAUTENG HEALTH MEC, GWEN RAMOKGOPA, AT THE BABY FRIENDLY AWARD CEREMONY AT LERATONG HOSPITAL 5 February 2003
Programme Director
The Head of Department, Dr Rispel
Representatives from UNICEF
Hospital board members
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is for me a pleasure to join in this celebration to mark the awarding of this honour to our hospital. The award being given to Leratong Hospital today is another indication of our commitment to the children of this country.
As a government we have made children a priority and in the health sector our performance is judged on the quality of health of our children and mothers.
As you all know, South Africa joined the international community in 1994, two years after the baby friendly the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched initiative.
Since then and with the signing of the Convention of the Rights of the Child in 1995, the Department of Health has been actively involved in supporting public and private health facilities in providing appropriate maternity services to enhance the health our new born babies and their mother.
Children First remains our guiding principle and evidence shows concretely that we have made significant progress over the past ten years to protect the health of our children.
A study conducted by Wits University in 2002 found that number of children immunised in our province had grown by 3% to 79%. The study also showed that the public sector results are better than those in the private sector. We however have to improve on the on time vaccination of children and improve reporting from the private sector.
Through the integrated management of childhood illnesses we have managed to improve the ability of our health workers to assess danger signs correctly and ensure that priority essential drugs are available together with equipment and supplies necessary to support vaccination services.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital alone, managed to reduce the mortality of newborn babies by 32% by improving monitoring during labour and improving the resuscitation skills of labour ward staff. The Kangaroo Mother Care Units, which operate in eight of our hospitals, have increased the survival chances for our premature infants.
This award we are receiving today is confirmation that we are succeeding in making Gauteng a better place for children to live in.
There are several facilities already promoting and supporting breastfeeding in our province in line with the WHO and UNICEF guidelines. Mohlakeng Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was the first facility to receive this international award in Gauteng, followed by Parklane Clinic and now Leratong Hospital and Bekkersdal MOU have received this recognition. Lillian Ngoyi received a Certificate of Commitment. And of course we are encouraging other clinics and hospitals to work hard and achieve this. Our goal is to have at least 10% of our facilities declared baby friendly by the year 2006.
Studies show that breastfeeding rates in Gauteng are about 12% for the first three to four months of life. We all know that breast milk gives the baby the best start in life by providing all the nutrients a baby needs for the first six months of life. It has numerous benefits such as:
* Immunological factors that protect the baby and play a major role in preventing common illnesses especially diarrhoea and other infections
* It is easily digested by the baby
* Provides an excellent opportunity for bonding between mother and baby
* It is clean, safe, and affordable
* It costs less in terms of health care expenses, as breastfed infants get ill less often.
These are just some of the many benefits of breastfeeding.
Our challenge in Gauteng is to increase the percentage of mother who chooses to breastfeed. To achieve this we need to change a few practices such as:
* Promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding in the health facilities by changing the routines in the milk rooms of preparing bottles for all the new burns irrespective of whether the mother intends to breastfeed or not
* Educating mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding
* Supporting the mothers who have chosen to breastfeed
* Educating teenage mothers about the importance of breastfeeding
* Teaching working mothers to express breast milk so that they can continue to breastfeed.
As part of strengthening this initiative, the department is committed to:
* Support further training of health workers in lactation management
* Provide updated information on breastfeeding
* Continue to conduct workshops on breastfeeding and HIV/AIDS - to keep abreast of research in the interests of mothers and babies
* Support the relevant facilities to achieve the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative status by implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
* Support and mentor the community support groups.
Breastfeeding has always been best in nourishing our children. It is the cornerstone of optimal growth for our children, providing health, economic, social and environmental benefits for our community. The vicious and often fatal cycle of childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea, dehydration, ("phogoana") and malnutrition are results of unsafe, unhygienic diluted feeding methods. This problem can be avoided by simple information and promotion of breastfeeding.
So let us all work together in promoting, supporting and protect breastfeeding.
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
5 February 2004
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
