Hyderabad, Sept.29 (NSS): The two-day’s largest lactation management and breast milk banking conference called the 4th International Conference, South Asian LAMBCON 2024 held on Sunday at Marie Gold Hotel in Ameerpet.
R.V. Karnan, Commissioner, Health & Family Welfare, MD, National Health Mission; Dr Sridhar Prahlad Ryavanki, Health Specialist, UNICEF Field Office for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana Dr Zelalem Birhanu Taffesse, graced the inaugural.
R.V. Karnan said C-Section is one of the reasons that affect early breastfeeding. The main focus of the Government of Telangana is to reduce the number of C-Sections. The efforts are also on to train nurses and others to promote early breastfeeding. The newly launched Nurse Practitioner Midwifery Program of the Government is helping in promoting normal and natural childbirth as well as breastfeeding. The Government will partner with Sushena Health Foundation to promote breastfeeding and Milk Bank Initiatives, he added.
Telangana’s first human milk bank was set up at Niloufer and their lactation management is the best model in the country he said. UNICEF Field Office for Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana Dr Zelalem Birhanu Taffesse said the whole society must be sensitised about the importance of breastfeeding, especially early breastfeeding and uninterrupted for the next six months. Partnership with the community will yield good results. Participation of parents in such programs to continue breastfeeding for a longer time will also go a long way he added.
Dr Santosh Kumar, Kraleti, Member, National Medical Commission, Founder & General Secretary, Sushena Health Foundation said 41.8% of babies in Telangana are breastfed early. In comparison, in India, 54% of babies experience early breastfeeding. We aim to see that this number is increased. Furthermore, 90% of infant deaths can be prevented using the simple and accessible solution of breastfeeding and mothers’ milk banking. These statistics highlight that even the well-educated sections of our population are not fully aware of breastfeeding and lactation management Dr Santosh Kumar, Kraleti added.
The two-day conference began with several workshops spread across the city on Saturday and full day conference on Sunday. Dr Santosh Kumar said Dhaatri Breast Milk Bank runs Milk Banks in Niloufer, ESI, and Gandhi Hospitals and cannot provide breast milk to babies other than these hospitals. Hence, they wanted to set up the first of its Community Breast Milk Bank. Mr. Ashok Gupta, MD of Rockwell Industries announced that they would arrange voluntarily half an acre of land needed to set up the first-ever Community Breast Milk Bank in the city. Ashok Gupta also assured with customised full material and equipment support if required.
Prof. Dr Sushma Mallik was honoured with the Dhaatri Lifetime Achievement Award.
Prof Dr KP Kushwaha delivered Dr Sundershan Reddy Patlolla, Founding President of Sushena Health Foundation Memorial Oration said make hospitals baby-friendly. Spread good breastfeeding techniques. A healthier future begins with breastfeeding, he added and asked the audience to repeat it Awards were presented to four distinguished professionals in recognition of their dedicated service.
Sushena Health Foundation, in partnership with Dhaatri Mothers’ Milk Bank and supported by several esteemed organizations including the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP), National Neonatology Forum (NNF), Rishihood University (RU), National Neonatology Forum – Telangana State Chapter (NNF-TS), UNICEF, and the Pediatrics Academy of Telangana organized the 4th International Conference, South Asian LAMBCON 2024.
Overall, the two-day conference featured 30+ sessions, with topics ranging from Basic Lactation Management, and Advanced Lactation Management, to Human Milk Banking. 500, including 20 international delegates from Sri Lanka, Nepal, East Timor, and the Philippines attended on the second day. On the whole 1000 attended during the two days.
