Child immunity awareness campaigns begin

The Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) will observe the ORS Week – beginning today and continuing until August 1- and Breastfeeding Week – from August 1 to 7 – in Krishna district. The programmes, highlighting the benefits of administration of ORS and breastfeeding, will be organised at medical colleges, primary Health centres, anganwadis and rural habitations during the fortnight.

Dr PSN Murthy, secretary of IAP Krishna district said, “ORS is an easy option which is available at all health centres and medical shops. It can be prepared easily at home by mixing a tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt in a glass of water and it can be given to infants suffering from diarrhea. ORS yields good results in treating diarrhea among children,’’

The IAP announced that this year’s Breaskfeeding Week – themed ‘Breastfeeding and Work-Let’s Make it Work’ – will have a special focus for working-women. According to a study, 56 per cent of women in the country are not breastfeeding their infants. This year’s theme is meant to educate working-women on how they can store and refrigerate their milk in bottles and feed their children as required.

It is aimed to motivate women to breastfeed their children as the rate of breastfeeding is on the decline in recent years due to various reasons,” said Dr MA Rahman, president of IAP, here. The IAP has also advocated extension of maternity leave for working women, provision of one or more paid breastfeeding breaks and flexible work schedules for them and setting up of crèches at workplaces and breast milk banks to ensure the well-being of both new mothers and newborns,’’ he said. Later, Dr Rahman and Dr Murthy released posters of the ORS Week and Breastfeeding Week along with other IAP members.