352 breast-feeding centres inaugurated across TN

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has made life easy for travelling mothers and working women who hereafter need not worry about difficulties in breastfeeding their newborns.As part of the World Breast feeding Week from August 1-7, Jayalalithaa on Monday inaugurated 352 breastfeeding centres and seven Mother’s Milk Banks in Government-run hospitals in the State. “Breastfeeding and Work: let’s Make it Work” is the theme of this year’s Breastfeeding Week observed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The breastfeeding centres are exclusive rooms attached to bus terminals in the State where lactating mothers can feed their babies without hassles or disturbances. Each room, equipped with furniture, toilet and drinking water supply could accommodate six mothers at a time, according to a Government release. Jayalalithaa inaugurated the new scheme by video-conferencing from Fort Saint George, the Tamil Nadu Secretariat.

The Chief Minister was over by reports about the difficulties faced by travelling mothers, who had to wait for hours to get a suitable place to feed their newborns in bus terminals and public places. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had exhorted mothers to breastfeed their newborns whenever they are with the children. 

Mother’s Milk Banks were inaugurated in seven State-run hospitals. “Each bank has been provided with equipment worth Rs10 lakh to preserve milk donated by mothers. Such milk can be stored for three months and will be given to babies who cannot get milk from their mothers,” said the Government release. A boon to travelling mothers as well as working mothers, the concept of Mother’s Milk Banks aims to bring down infant mortality rates.

Earlier in July, Jayalalithaa had spoken about exclusive rooms for mothers considering the difficulties faced by them while commuting for work or for other travel purposes.Though the rooms have not been assigned any names, a source in the Secretariat said it would be named Amma Centres. “There is no politics in it. What else will you call a centre where mothers feed their children”IJ asked the official.

Bus terminals across Tamil Nadu sell “Amma” brand mineral water at `10 while the other brands command Rs15 per bottle or more. Amma Canteens selling heavily subsidised food for the common man, Amma Pharma selling medicines at affordable rates, Amma Green Houses for those without roof over their heads have become an instant hit in Tamil Nadu forcing Jayalalithaa’s rivals to chalk out strategies to counter her popularity.