28th July 2023 – (Hong Kong) The United Christian Hospital (UCH) has become the eighth public hospital to be awarded the Baby Friendly Hospital (BFH) accreditation by the Hospital Authority (HA). UCH has made significant strides in promoting breastfeeding, with a remarkable achievement of over 80% breastfeeding rate in the first half of 2023.
UCH has been actively promoting and supporting breastfeeding, with the UCH Breastfeeding Promotion Committee making significant efforts to strengthen staff training, improve breastfeeding facilities, and formulate a comprehensive infant feeding policy. The hospital ensures that all staff members have the necessary knowledge and skills to promote breastfeeding. Additionally, UCH has been organising World Breastfeeding Week events every year to promote breastfeeding and to recognise postnatal staff members who have continued breastfeeding for six months or more in the past year.
Furthermore, UCH’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) has been collaborating with the Health Resource Centre since 2021 to provide weekly online courses to teach parents the basics of breastfeeding and postpartum practices. The O&G Specialist Outpatient Clinic provides an Antenatal Counselling Service and an Infant Feeding Information Centre, offering mothers with sufficient knowledge, professional advice, and assistance on breastfeeding. The O&G department encourages parents-to-be to join their regular natural childbirth course and has even formed a UCH Breastfeeding Volunteer Team to provide appropriate counselling services and share breastfeeding experiences with parents who attend follow-up consultations.
Apart from UCH, seven other public hospitals, including Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Kwong Wah Hospital, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital, and Princess Margaret Hospital, have already been accredited with the BFH accreditation.
The BFH accreditation is awarded to hospitals that have demonstrated their commitment to promoting and supporting breastfeeding. The accreditation is based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which includes providing mothers with the necessary information, skills, and support to breastfeed successfully. The HA aims to promote and support breastfeeding to ensure that mothers and babies receive the best possible care.
Breastfeeding provides numerous benefits to both mothers and babies. It promotes bonding between the mother and the baby, reduces the risk of infections, and provides the baby with all the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development. Moreover, breastfeeding has been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases in both mothers and babies.
The HA is committed to promoting and supporting breastfeeding and encourages all hospitals to achieve the BFH accreditation. The HA aims to ensure that all mothers and babies receive the best possible care and support to promote optimal health and wellbeing.
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