Infant and young child feeding in emergencies. Making it ... - IBFAN

IFE often reflects poor infant and young child feeding
(IYCF) in non-emergencies. Correcting IYCF during
emergencies is therefore doubly hard because of the
difficult conditions resulting from the emergency and the
lack of understanding, awareness and capacity within the
community and government of the importance of optimal
IYCF practices even in non-emergency conditions. Much
work, therefore, needs to be done to improve IYCF in
general (in preparedness). It was noted that emergencies
may actually provide an opportunity to redouble, and
even accelerate, country efforts to improve optimal IYCF
practices.
The way forward
Each thematic working group covered one of the six main
components of the Operational Guidance on IFE – (i)
Policies, ii) Capacity Building, iii) Coordination, iv)
Assessment and Monitoring, v) Protection, Promotion and
Support of Optimal IYCF and vi) Minimising the Risks of
Artificial Feeding. Working groups and plenary
discussions helped identify ways forward in three
particularly challenging areas in IFE response –
assessment of infant and young child feeding, artificial
feeding in emergencies, and complementary feeding in
emergencies. The enthusiastic work of the assessment
group, in particular, provided a good basis from which to
develop thinking on the process of IFE assessment postworkshop.
The AFASS [vi] criteria (developed in the context
of HIV and infant feeding) were considered relevant to
any artificial feeding in an emergency context and their
application was explored. However there is a lack of
guidance and programmatic experience on interventions
to support artificial feeding in emergencies, in particular
on integrated programming that supports both breastfed
and non-breastfed infants in an emergency context.
Complementary feeding in emergencies was emphasised
as an area of great concern - the increasing use of Ready to
Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) in the prevention as well
as treatment of acute malnutrition raised issues over
sustainability, their appropriateness for use as a
complementary food, and the need to balance these
innovations with more food based/holistic approaches to
feeding infants and young children.
Many misconceptions around infant feeding in
emergencies are perpetuated by the media, which often
highlights or initiates calls for donations and often report
mothers cannot breastfeed due to stress. An analysis of
media coverage during the Bangladesh emergency
highlighted the nature of such coverage and the
importance of good communications in emergencies.
Discussions explored how to improve engagement with
the media, communicate key IFE messages and in
particular, the risks associated with artificial feeding.
Based on their priority problems identified on Day 1
and thematic group work, country working groups
produced country action plans (Annex 2). The
regional/global working group highlighted the poor
attendance by invited international or regional bilateral
donors at the workshop, which was reflected in the Global
Action Points (Annex 3). Key actions were reflected in a
Pledge for Action by participants (see inside back cover),
and a model Joint Statement on IFE to call for appropriate
IYCF support during an emergency, collectively produced
by the end of Day 3 (Annex 4).
This workshop was well-received and well-attended
and the result of strong collaboration between many UN
and NGO partners and their national counterparts. The
organisers hope the workshop will prove to be a
significant contribution to timely and informed
interventions on IFE and furthermore, assist key country
players to establish and enhance overall infant and young
child feeding policies and practices in the interests of
preparedness. Critically, country and regional level
contributions have reinforced where actions are needed at
a global level, particularly with regard to devising early
breastfeeding interventions, complementary feeding,
artificial feeding and communication strategies on IFE. It
is hoped that this workshop will be the first in a series of
regional workshops to raise awareness and build capacity
on IFE.
[i]
Current members are: UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR, WFP, International
Baby Food Action Network-Geneva Infant Feeding Association
(IBFAN-GIFA), CARE USA, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) and the
Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN). Associate members include
Save the Children (UK) and International Federation of the Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
[ii]
Presentations from the Bali conference are available in the IFE
Resource library at www.ennonline.net/ife, search ‘Presentations’
[iii]
Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding,
UNICEF/WHO, WHO, 2003
[iv]
A/RES/44/25, Convention on the Rights of the Child. 61st plenary
meeting, 20 November 1989.
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/44/a44r025.htm
[v]
http://innocenti15.net/declaration.htm Welcomed unanimously by
the WHO 59th World Health Assembly. 4 May 2006. A59/13.
Provisional agenda item 11.8. WHA 59.21.
[vi]
Acceptable, Feasible, Affordable, Sustainable, Safe
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