Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Week

Which is marked annually in the first week of August. It coincided with the global celebration of World Breastfeeding Week whose theme this year is “Breastfeeding: A Key to Sustainable Development.” It is a reminder to hospitals and maternity clinics/birth centers to put in place mechanisms that would ensure that the newborn and mother are provided with hygienic, safe and efficient facilities and services during their stay in the hospital. It stresses the need to accord appropriate support to mothers to enable them to continue breastfeeding at least within the next six months after they are discharged.