“Strengthening Infant and Young Child
Feeding Policies and Programmes in
South Asia Region”
Maldives Country Presentation
9th to 12th December 2014 , Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh
INTRODUCTION
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Country Context
Breastfeeding and Nutrition Situation
National Policies and Strategies
WHO Code
Maternity Protection
BFHI
IYCF activities
World Breastfeeding Week
Challenges
WBTi
Country Context
• Population : 298,842 (Census 2006)
• Number of Atolls: 20
• Number of islands: 1120 islands
• 195 (inhabited)
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The health care delivery system : four-tier referral
system
Child Nutrition Situation
• Rates of malnutrition has gradually
declined from 1996 to 2009
• Nutrition situation has not improved in
pace with other health developments
Breastfeeding Situation
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Early Initiation : 64 %, within the first hour of life , 92% of newborns
within the first day
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Exclusive Breastfeeding for first 6 months: 48% (10% (MICS II ,2001)
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Bottle-feeding :12 % of last born are reported to have received
pre-lacteal feeds
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Complementary Feeding :
89.9 percent infants are given timely semi-solid or solid food ,
47 percent is introduced to infant formula at age 6-8 months
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58 % of children age 6-23 months met the minimum standard with
respect to all three IYCF practices
Median duration of Breastfeeding : 2.2 months
Source: DHS 2009
IYCF Policies and Strategy
• Government advocates exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months and
complementary feeding with foods that provide for optimal growth
to be introduced to the infant after 6 months and continue
breastfeeding for up to 2 years.
• The National Strategy for infant and Young Child Feeding is dated
2006-2010.
• The Integrated National Nutrition Strategic Plan (INNSP )20132017 :
IYCF Policies and Strategy
Other supportive polices:
• Health Master Plan (2006-2015), new plan 2015-25 being
drafted to be aligned with INNSP
• National Reproductive Health Strategy 2014-18 (focuses on
newborn feeding , child and maternal nutrition including
eliminating ,micronutrient deficiencies)
• Micronutrient Policy to be endorsed.
• NCD Prevention action Plan, Food inspection Guidelines , Food
Bill and Youth health strategy are in draft stage or remains to be
endorsed.
Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) Code
• Adopted some of the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of
Breast-milk Substitutes (BMS) into the National Code of BMS
• Approved by the parliament but not legalized into an Act and
implemented.
• The Code is being enforced as a part of food safety regulations
“Regulation on Import, Produce and Sale of Breast Milk Substitutes in
the Maldives”
• Traders and stakeholders, healthcare workers sensitized.
• BMS Code is being re-examined by the government ( Since August 2014)
MATERNITY PROTECTION
• Women following secondary school education are getting
increasingly employed.
• 46 percent married women are employed (MDHS, 2009)
• Maternity leave 60 days ( excluding public holidays) with full
pay.
• 1 hour nursing break till the baby is 1 year old
• 1 year of leave without pay may be granted
• 1 week paternal leave
• There is no law/ regulation applicable to private sector. Varies
among the private sector.
• ‘Flexi hours’- recently introduced by civil service
• Only MMA (Maldives Monetary Authority) has introduced 6
months paid maternity leave (Voluntarily)
Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative ( BFHI)
• BFHI launched in 1995- Total 9 hospitals declared BFHI- monitoring
not undertaken.
 5 hospitals declared as Baby-friendly-2005
 2 more regional hospitals- 2001
 2 atoll hospitals- 2005
• Last external review of BFHI in 2003
• BFHI – programme needs to be further strengthened
– Breast feeding counselling, IYCF training, awareness sessions on
programming – ongoing.
– BFHI certifications needs to be reinstated
IYCF Activities 2012-2014
• The National Infant and Young Child Feeding Guideline
drafted
• BCC Strategy for Maternal and Child Nutrition developed
• MCN BCC Campaign Plan Maternal and Child Nutrition Guide for caregivers
Maternal and Child Nutrition Manual for Community health
workers
Pretesting of Guide and Manual in three atolls
IEC and Advocacy tools under development- leaflets, posters,
banners, Mass media spots. (TV/radio)
Orientation to MCN Guide completed in 3 atolls ( incolloboration
with NGOS- SHE, ARC)
IYCF Activities 2012-2014
• MCH – online surveillance system for
monitoring nutrition interventions
including growth monitoring,
vaccination and IYCF information,
• IYCF components integrated into
Newborn care and IMCI trainings.
• Micronutrient Supplementation: Vit
A and Deworming program
• National Nutrition Council - 2012
IYCF Activities 2012-2014
• Bottle-neck analysis on Infant and Young Child nutrition situation- ongoing
• Project on ‘Strengthening GMP’- Situation Analysis, Training, SOPS,
resource materials development
• Capacity building of healthcare providers :
 Breast feeding counselling trainings :( 87 trained since 2012)
 IYCF trainings ( 181 trained, 49 since 2012)
 BMS code Orientation/ sensitization:
private sector, government, agency partners
health care providers
 Newborn care trainings
 Growth monitoring and promotion
 IMCI
 PMTCT Guideline
World Breastfeeding
Week 2014
• World Breastfeeding Week is being marked each year at National
Level.
• Awareness / IEC: Radio / TV programmes, Friday Prayer Lecture,
leaflets and information disseminated
• Special counselling classes: on exclusive breastfeeding mothers,
support for working mothers on the concept of expressed milk,
complimentary feeding through out the week
• Advocacy event: With the theme of WBW 2014: Breast feeding: A
Winning goal for life, a foot ball match and Health Fair(focused on
Breast feeding and IYCF awareness)
• Trainings : Growth monitoring, IYCF, Breastfeeding counselling,
newborn care, IMCI, PMTC sensitization
• Training on ‘Mobilization of Religious Leaders on MCH’
Support: UNICEF /WHO, Government Organizations and NGOs
World Breastfeeding
Week 2014
NGO’s involvement
Society for Health Education (SHE)
•Training of HWs on IYCF training at
Addu City
•WBCI tool training at Addu city
•Roll out training of Maternal and Child
Nutrition Guide
CHALLENGES
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Limited national level capacity on IYCF
High staff turn over rate
High expatriate staff- doctors, nurses
Dependency on imported food- High lobby group of infant milk
formulas and commercial infant foods
• Difficulty in implementing and enforcing existing policies and strategies
– Due to changing political climate, limited resources (HR, technical, funds)
– Changing policy priorities (which is dynamic), changing leaderships
• The support of pediatricians, Obstetricians, in promoting exclusive
breast feeding has diminished
• Delay in enforcement of the regulation on BMS and infant food.
Next Steps
1. Country level assessment WBTi
2. Training Health workers on WBCi
3. Plan of action for 2015-2016
Thank you