Hotline to guide mothers on breastfeeding
Reported May 24, 2008
DUBAI – The Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) will soon set up a hotline to guide mothers on breastfeeding, according to a health official.
“The ratio of breastfeeding is extremely low among UAE national women in the country. To encourage women to opt for this natural method rather than bottle feeding their babies, we will be providing this facility to them soon,” said Dr Fatima Sultan Al Olma, head of the Mother and Babycare Unit at Dohms, explaining the reason behind the need to set up such clinics in the emirate.
She also explained that the hotline was part of the phased implementation of the baby-friendly clinics initiative in PHCs around the emirate.
“The objective of the project is to spread health awareness among mothers about pregnancy, breastfeeding and nutrition suitable for children at different stages of their lives,” she said.
The project has already been implemented in Al Bed’a and Al Mamzar clinics in the first stages.
“Before this implementation, the staff at these clinics had to undergo a 20-hour orientation programme so that the clinics could acquire international accreditation as baby-friendly clinics by the World Health Organisation (WHO),” said Dr Fatima.