PAHO presents ‘Baby Friendly’ plaque to hospital, following prestigious designation last year
Following its accreditation as a Baby-Friendly medical facility in September
2023 the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) has received the prestigious
designation plaque.
The plaque was officially delivered to the hospital on Monday, May 27, by the
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and presented by Deputy Director
Mary Lou Valdez.
Reports say the award has been placed in the Maternity Unit at the medical
facility.
The hospital’s attainment of this Baby-Friendly designation came after a
rigorous review process.
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a worldwide programme
administered by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
It is aimed at ensuring that all mothers and infants receive the best possible
start in life by fostering an environment that supports breastfeeding and
encourages the essential bond between mother and child.
Ann-Marie Browne-Isaac, a certified midwife and department nurse manager
of the hospital’s Maternity and Outpatient Clinic, says the hospital experience
strongly influences a mother’s ability to start and continue breastfeeding.
Browne-Isaac says the hospital is committed to implementing evidence-based
care through the Baby-Friendly designation, thus ensuring that those women
who deliver at the hospital and intend to breastfeed – as well as those who
cannot or decide not to breastfeed – are fully supported.
Meanwhile, she says that attaining this designation, which is a wonderful
achievement, took a lot of hard work and dedication.
The department nurse manager says the hospital’s goal is to maintain what
has been accomplished so far, which would include re-designation when it is
due in five years time.
Reportedly the Baby-Friendly honour recognizes that the hospital is adhering
to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
These standards are built on the “Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding,” a set
of evidence-based practices recommended by the WHO and UNICEF for
optimal infant-feeding support in the first days of a newborn’s life.
Officials at the hospital say the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre is part of a
growing list of more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centres
throughout the world.
