HIV positive mothers can also breastfeed their newborns, said Professor Emeritus Dr Sheila Bhambal here on Saturday. Dr Bhambal was addressing a divisional seminar on child health organised by Indian Academy of Pediatricians.

Dr Bhambal said even breastfeeding is much better for the infants born to HIV positive mothers than the infant milk substitutes. Awareness regarding breast feeding is lacking among the citizens that is why it the responsibility of doctors to protect and promote breastfeeding.

Only 40 hospitals in the State are Baby Friendly Hospitals (BFH) while this figure should be much higher. Even the baby friendly hospitals are not performing as per requirement. JP hospital has been accredited with the BFH certificate twice in last few years but on direct conversation with the mothers who delivered in the hospital was unaware of the benefit of breast feeding, said Dr Bhambal.

She further said that 19 per cent of infant deaths due to malnutrition can be prevented by breast feeding alone. Dr Bhambal appealed to the pediatricians present in the seminar to promote the mothers during their pregnancy for breast feeding, after the delivery should ask the mother to feed the

child and remind the same when mother and child are discharged from the hospital. Infants do not even water if they are feed breast milk in the first six months.

She further added that policy should be formed by Government to optimise breastfeeding.The seminar was also addressed by Chirayu Medical College Associate Professor Dr Sweta Anand, Dr Rakesh Mishra and Dr Rakesh Sukheja.