Vol. 498 No. 4
313 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps, if any, taken to date to implement the national breast feeding policy for Ireland; the initiatives, if any, he will take in 1999 in this regard; and steps, if any, his Department will take to furnish copies of the breast feeding training pack developed by the Centre for Health Promotion Studies in University College Galway to every maternity hospital and relevant health care facilities. [27564/98]
My Department, through the health promotion unit, has been involved in a number of initiatives in order to improve the incidence of breastfeeding in Ireland including the production of materials encouraging breastfeeding. The National University of Ireland, Galway, with funding from the health promotion unit, has produced a training pack for health professionals which includes a breastfeeding video and information booklets. This pack has been developed by the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, National University of Ireland, Galway, in conjunction with the health promotion unit and An Bord Altranais and is designed to equip health professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to assist mothers in breastfeeding. It is recognised that the support of health professionals is critical to the success of the national breastfeeding policy as they are the first point of contact for the mother during pregnancy and after childbirth and are ideally placed to ensure that the mother receives information about the benefits of breastfeeding in order that she can make an informed choice. I have asked that a copy of the materials be made available to all maternity hospitals in the country.
The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, which is a global campaign lead by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF to encourage hospitals and health workers to support mothers to breastfeed, has been recently established in
