World Vision International (Cambodia) expanded its Baby-Friendly Health Centre for breastfeeding in Preah Vihear and Siem Reap provinces on November 7. PREAH VIEHEAR HEALTH DEPARTMENT
World Vision International in Cambodia (WVI-Cambodia), in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the National Nutrition Programme (NNP) and the National Maternal Child Health Centre (NMCHC), is expanding its “Baby-Friendly Health Centre” project to an additional 34 health centres in Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces.
A press release from WVI-Cambodia, dated November 7, highlighted the financial support from Else Kroner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) through World Vision Germany and the approval from the health ministry. This expansion builds upon the successful implementation in eight health centres across Siem Reap in 2022-2023.
The three-year project, spanning from 2023 to 2026, aims to promote Baby-Friendly Health Centres (BFHC). This initiative is set to positively impact more than 54,000 pregnant women, 15,000 newborns, and 134 health centre staff. It will achieve this by enhancing the capacity of health centre staff and through collaboration with the provincial health department to oversee the delivery of ‘baby-friendly services’ by these centres.
“In addition, this project will also mobilise and train ‘Lactation Counsellors’ at the community level to counsel the mother and household members on providing breastmilk to newborns, infants and young children,” stressed WVI-Cambodia.
“The ministry collaborates with partners like World Vision to improve breastfeeding rates in Cambodia. Only half of the mothers in Cambodia exclusively breastfeed their children within the first six months of life.
Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness among pregnant women and new mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding. Breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants, and it helps to protect against many common childhood illnesses. Breastfed children excel in intelligence tests as they grow up and they are less prone to diabetes and other non-communicable diseases as they grow up,” Kim Rattana, director of the NMCHC, stated.
Rattana highlighted that supporting health centre staff in promoting breastfeeding will enable them to educate pregnant women, new mothers and especially women having their first child.
“Although 99 per cent of births were delivered by a skilled provider, only 54 per cent of the newborns were fed with breast milk within one hour of birth,” stated the Cambodian Demographic and Health Survey.
