The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean: Current status, challenges, and opportunities
Abstract
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched in 1991 by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with the goal of protecting, promoting
and supporting breastfeeding in facilities that provide maternity services. Breastfeeding is associated with
short- and long-term health benefits for both mother and child. For the mother, this includes prevention
of breast and ovarian cancers, and some cardiovascular diseases. For children, the benefits include reduced
morbidity and mortality, particularly in the neonatal period, and increased IQ. The BFHI has been shown
to increase rates of exclusive breastfeeding, to reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal disease and atopic
eczema during the first year of life, and to improve children’s IQ and academic performance. Yet despite
its proven benefits and relevance to current global health goals, the BFHI has suffered from waning political
and financial support in recent years. Meanwhile, recertification processes are not in place in most
countries to ensure that BFHI standards are maintained at facilities that may have been certified long
ago. The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region has the highest percentage of births occurring in
health facilities globally (89%), yet only about a third of infants are exclusively breastfed. Child health
and development and maternal health outcomes in the region could benefit substantially from a reinvigoration
of the BFHI. In 2013-2014, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a survey
to assess the status of the initiative in PAHO’s LAC Member States. This report presents results from the
survey and identifies specific challenges and opportunities for BFHI implementation in the LAC Region...
Translated title
La Iniciativa hospital amigo del niño en América Latina y el Caribe: Estado actual, retos y oportunidades
Subject
Category of PAHO Strategic Plan 2014-2019
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