Wednesday, August 25th 2010
Commenting on the current crisis in Pakistan, Janet Fyle, professional policy advisor, at the Royal College of Midwives, said:
“Women do not stop giving birth simply because there is an emergency. In any disaster situation pregnant women and children are at greatest risk. There is a particular need to protect vulnerable women and children and provide skilled support for births. In many emergency situations, it is the vulnerable that suffer as resources are diverted to what the in-country government and some agencies consider to be priority areas.
“When a country’s infrastructure collapses, its lack of clean water and sanitation increases the dangers of artificial feeding for infants. During emergency situations, such as the floods in Pakistan, disease and death rates among under-fives are higher than for any other age group. The younger the child the higher the risk because of the combined impact of communicable diseases, such as diarrhoea and the lack of nutrition. In such situations, it is paramount to continue to encourage women to breastfeed; if aid agencies give mothers formula milk, a country’s breastfeeding rates fall immediately and over time.
“We want to stress that aid to Pakistan should not include formula milk and that the government and aid agencies follow the World Health Organisation’s guidelines for infant feeding in emergency situations, which urges continued breastfeeding. We urge the international community to provide humanitarian aid and relief to serve the needs of pregnant women, mothers and babies in Pakistan. Feed the mother and she will feed her baby.”
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For more information contact the RCM Press Office on 020 7312 3456
Notes to editors
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) aims to promote and advance the profession of the midwife. The RCM represents the vast majority of the UK's midwives and is one of the world's oldest and largest midwifery organisations, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2006. It is also a trade union. For more information visit the RCM website at www.rcm.org.uk.
