News
Save the Children launches radio program in Haiti to promote health
of babies
27 January 2010
Save the Children is supporting efforts to promote the health
of babies and young children in Haiti among the vulnerable conditions of
the earthquake zone with a new radio service.
The agency has translated public health messages into Creole, which are
currently being broadcast on local radio stations. It is making these
critical communications available to other health-focused groups that
are also working with local communities affected by the disaster.
Its health staff in Haiti will translate other public health messages
and coordinate with partners and communities to spread the word about
keeping children healthy in the wake of the quake.
Save the Children also is training midwives, health workers and
nutritional educators to reach out to pregnant and new mothers at
makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince, Leogane and Jacmel.
"Newborns and infants are very vulnerable during emergencies, especially
from diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition. But mothers can take simple
steps to protect their baby's health through exclusive and proper
breastfeeding," said Kathryn Bolles, Save the Children's emergency
health and nutrition director. "Breast milk provides essential nutrients
and strengthens a baby's immunity, protecting the baby from other
illnesses."
Health risks from infant formulas and other supplements
The health messages encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed babies
under 6 months of age, and to continue to breastfeed children until age
two.
Mothers are cautioned against giving babies under 6 months of age
anything but breast milk — including water, infant formula, powdered
milk or solid food — because of the risks from diarrhea, one of the
leading killers of children globally, and because of the risk of
becoming malnourished, which leaves babies more susceptible to other
illnesses.
"Mothers may not be aware of the threats that infant formula and other
supplements pose to their babies. Tainted water used to mix the formula
and unsanitary bottles or cups can cause a baby to get sick with
diarrhea, which can kill," said Bolles. "We hope more Haitian mothers
will hear our health messages and be encouraged to breastfeed their
babies. We also are suggesting mothers seek out support and counseling
from organizations like Save the Children if they are having difficulty
breastfeeding their baby."
The awareness campaign also seeks to dispel the myths that may
discourage mothers from breastfeeding, among them stress or lack of
proper food will cause a mother to produce bad milk or no milk. Instead,
mothers are encouraged to breastfeed more often, which will allow them
to produce more milk for their baby.
Even before the earthquake, survival rates for young Haitian children
were the worst in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 1 in 10 children
dying before the age of 5 from preventable and treatable causes like
diarrhea and pneumonia.
Save the Children has worked in Haiti since 1978 and currently has more
than 200 staff in the country.
For more information and to donate to Save the Children see
www.savethechildren.org
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