13 lakh children become victims of natural disasters in 6 months
Experts tell Manila conference
A total of 13 lakh children in Asia Pacific region have been affected in natural disasters in the first six months of this year.
If the Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practice can be ensured during emergencies, lives of a significant number of children could be saved, experts at a regional conference said yesterday.
The experts said that with the climate change, natural disasters are taking place frequently. So, the need for extended support in IYCF in emergencies has come to the forefront to protect next generation from malnutrition.
The experts also highlighted the nutrition status of different countries of the region and discussed why and how the IYCF can be ensured.
Participants from 11 countries took part in the four-day long conference titled 'Infant and young child feeding in emergencies' organised by Unicef held at Manila, Philippines.
Noel Zarge, emergency nutrition consultant of Asia Pacific Shared Services Centre of Unicef, said 80 percent of the developing world's stunting (low height for age) people is living in 24 countries in the world and Bangladesh is one of them.
Around 60 percent of the world's wasting (low weight for height) is from 10 countries and Bangladesh is one of them, he mentioned.
“Silent emergency exacerbates during the emergencies and so special policies, strategies and actions like baby friendly hospital initiative, food and nutrition cluster from the community and training of the volunteers and mobilising the NGOs have been taking place at different countries.
But understanding the necessity of breastfeeding and increase awareness in the society is a must to create an environment for mothers to breastfeed her baby even during the emergencies," he said.
There are some misconceptions among the people, including mothers, that during emergencies maternal stress causes milk to dry up, malnourished mothers cannot breastfeed babies, babies with diarrhoea need additional liquid besides breast milk and once stopped breastfeeding cannot be started again. But all these are false notions, said Dr Mohsin Ali, nutrition specialist of Unicef, Bangladesh.
“If the mother gets proper support and can be encouraged to provide breastmilk, it is possible to ensure breastfeeding. Even, it is possible to restart breastfeeding again.
Relactation techniques can be used to support and motivate mothers to breastfeed again,” he said.
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