PHM-Exch> WABA perspectives on the “US versus Breastfeeding” debate

[Claudio Schuftan]

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A WALL OF SUPPORT FOR BREASTFEEDING - ACHIEVING THE NEW NORMAL
-WABA perspectives on the “US versus Breastfeeding” debate-

What do Botswana, Canada, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Pakistan, Panama, Russian Federation, Senegal,
Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Zambia all have in common? They are
all countries that took the lead and defended breastfeeding at the 71st
World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva.

Over the last few days, many of us have been shocked by the viral news of
the resistance to the 2018 WHA resolution on infant and young child
feeding. According to Mr. Hussein Tarimo, an independent consultant from
Tanzania and Steering Committee member of the World Alliance for
Breastfeeding Action (WABA) <http://www.waba.org.my> who attended WHA as an
observer, “*The US position on the first day of the 71st WHA did not
surprise me much because even in 1981, the US was the only country that was
against the adoption of the WHA resolution on the International Code of
Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
<http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/code_english.pdf>*”. Perhaps we
should not be so surprised. After all, there is a $70 billion worth global
market at stake. On the other hand, very few are talking about the great
wall of support represented by the eighteen countries that took the lead in
defending breastfeeding at the WHA. There were some gains and some losses
<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/health/world-health-breastfeeding-ecuador-trump.html>
in the final WHA resolution
<http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA71/A71_ACONF4Rev1-en.pdf>.

WABA and its partners advocate for the protection, promotion and support or
PPS of breastfeeding. The Code, as it is commonly called, is one key global
instrument to control the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, foods and
related products. It therefore protects breastfeeding. It does not prevent
formula from being available for those babies and mothers who need it for
any reason. Sixty-seven countries around the world are already
implementing, monitoring and enforcing national legislation that cover all
or most of the provisions of the Code. In addition to protection, mothers
need a warm chain of support <http://waba.org.my/warm-chain/> across the
1000 days from pregnancy until their child’s second birthday. The warm
chain of support covers both healthcare, community and workplace
interventions such as baby-friendly hospitals, skilled community-based
counsellors and parental social protection packages.

Promotion of breastfeeding to garner public support is yet another vital
strategy. Between August 1-7, the world celebrates World Breastfeeding Week
(WBW) which engages people and organisations at all levels to take action
along a theme. This year, the slogan is Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life
<http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org>. The 2018 WHA resolution endorses
WBW.

The case for breastfeeding is clear. While there are a few recognised
medical situations where infants may need to be formula fed and situations
where some parents may choose to provide infant formula, there is a growing
body of evidence that no industrially processed substitute comes close to
providing the optimal health and development that breastmilk does. The
World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends breastfeeding exclusively for
the first six months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and
health. Thereafter, children should be given nutritious complimentary foods
and continue breastfeeding up to the age of two or beyond. The 2016 Lancet
<https://www.thelancet.com/series/breastfeeding> Journal series on
breastfeeding presented the cumulative evidence that breastfeeding has
lifelong positive effects on children and mothers’ health, wellbeing and
survival. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is the safest and
healthiest option for children everywhere. Scaling up optimal breastfeeding
could prevent 823 000 child deaths and 20 000 maternal deaths from breast
cancer each year. Currently, only 40% of children below six months of age
are exclusively breastfed.

The environmental and economic costs of not breastfeeding are also huge.
Did you know that 4000 litres of water are required to produce one kilogram
of infant formula? Or that the 720 000 tonnes of formula sold annually in
six Asian countries generate almost 2.9 million tonnes of greenhouse gases?
Another shocking figure is the annual economic losses of about USD 302
billion or 0.49% of the world gross national income.

These evidence-based arguments perhaps explain why the eighteen countries
mentioned above took the lead against the US resistance and created a wall
of support for breastfeeding. A move that they deserve to be congratulated
for.

Breastfeeding helps prevent malnutrition in all its forms, enhances food
security even in times of crisis and thus helps to bring people and nations
out of the hunger and poverty cycle. It is therefore a foundation of life.
Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding is vital to a more
sustainable world. According to Irma Chavarria Maza, from World Food
Programme Guatemala and WABA Steering Committee member who also observed
the debates at WHA: *“Governments, UN agencies and civil society
organisations must work together to create the enabling and supportive
environment for breastfeeding, which will also lead to a healthier, more
prosperous and more sustainable world.”*

World Breastfeeding Week 2018 is just around the corner. Let us all
protect, promote and support breastfeeding and achieve the new normal!

World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) Steering Committee
12 July 2018

#holdtheline #WABA #WBW2018 #ebf6 #breastfeeding #normalizebreastfeeding
#WarmChain
Email: waba at waba.org.my
Websites: www.waba.org.my
             www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org
             www.breastfeedinggateway.org
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