Solutions Panorama

Scaling-Up
Breastfeeding in
Bangladesh
Featuring:
Government of Bangladesh;
Alive and Thrive; BRAC; UNICEF
Where:
Bangladesh
Time Frame:
2009-2016
DESCRIPTION
Breastfeeding is a well-known maternal and neonatal health
practice that powers significant health benefits for women and
babies. Bangladesh is a country that has seen a substantial increase
in breastfeeding rates in recent years (43 percent in 2007 to 64
percent in 2012) – a success that can be largely attributed to a
combination of community mobilization, mass media campaigns and
interpersonal communication around the importance of breastfeeding,
comprehensive health worker training (a vital resource for positive
nutritional education in the country), and the strategic use of data
for advocacy for program design. Additionally, the Government of
Bangladesh has committed to creating an enabling environment for
breastfeeding, for example by instituting a state-allotted 6-month
maternity leave.
Bangladesh has received support from technical experts from the
Alive and Thrive Initiative, BRAC, UNICEF, and civil society, to focus on
reaching scale and addressing known barriers. From 2009 to November
2014, the Alive & Thrive Initiative launched a comprehensive program
in the country to scale-up breastfeeding and complementary feeding
practices and to reduce stunting and young child anemia.
IMPACT
Over the past eight years, exclusive breastfeeding
in Bangladesh has increased by 13 percent.
From 2009-2014, the Alive and Thrive Initiative
contributed to the overall increase through a
range of activities, including but not limited to:
• 1.7 million women, mothers of children under
2, were counseled on infant and young child
feeding by more than 10,000 frontline workers
• Changes in exclusive breastfeeding were
close to 25 percent higher in Alive and Thrive
intervention areas
• Alive & Thrive broadcast seven TV spots
nationwide, and features of the Alive & Thrive
interpersonal and community mobilization
approach were introduced by BRAC in 50
sub-districts and spread to 172 additional subdistricts
through BRAC’s Essential Health Care
Program and Maternal, Neonatal, and Child
Health Program.
LEARN MORE
“Why invest, and what it will take to improve breastfeeding practices?,”
Nigel C Rollins, et al.
Alive and Thrive Iniative in Bangladesh;
aliveandthrive.org
Source: Improve Maternal and Newborn Health and Nutrition policy brief
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