The Quảng Ninh Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital in Quảng Ninh Province became the first hospital in Northern Việt Nam to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for Breastfeeding at a ceremony on July 28. — Photo Alive & Thrive

QUẢNG NINH — The Quảng Ninh Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital in Quảng Ninh Province became the first hospital in Northern Việt Nam to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for Breastfeeding at a ceremony on Tuesday.

On the same day, the hospital also launched its Human Milk Bank and a specialised clinic providing infant and young child feeding counselling to parents and other caregivers.

“Integrating three pro-breastfeeding interventions at once, the hospital shows responsibility and determination in protecting, supporting and promoting breastfeeding,” said Roger Mathisen, Regional Director for Alive & Thrive Southeast Asia.

“The Centre of Excellence model and Human Milk Bank assure that every child can access breastmilk during their hospital stay, and the counseling clinic equips mothers with the necessary knowledge and skills to continue breastfeeding after discharge. This is a good practice that needs to be scaled up.”

To become a Centre of Excellence for Breastfeeding, the hospital passed a rigorous assessment by the Ministry of Health. The hospital also received positive feedback from mothers about the neonatal care services they experienced.

Dr. Nguyễn Đức Vinh, Head of the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministry of Health said that Quảng Ninh Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital has made impressive progress in maternal and newborn care services.

“After only one year, the rate of children who receive skin-to-skin contact consistently for 90 minutes immediately after birth has increased from 59 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 to 84 per cent in second quarter of 2020; the rate of early breastfeeding after delivery and exclusive breastfeeding during their hospital stay is also high – respectively at 88 per cent and 85 per cent,” said Vinh.

A father accompanies his wife in the friendly delivery room at the Quảng Ninh Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital in Quảng Ninh Province. — Photo Alive & Thrive

The hospital’s achievements specifically ensure nutrition counselling for pregnant women and caregivers with small children; a friendly childbirth room with family members accompanying the mothers while in labour; early essential newborn care including immediate skin-to-skin contact for 90 minutes and early breastfeeding for healthy newborns; kangaroo mother care for premature, low-weight and sick babies; and safe, screened and lifesaving pasteurised human milk for newborns who cannot access their own mother’s milk.

The Quảng Ninh Human Milk Bank is the third such facility in the country and the first in Northern Việt Nam.

“The Human Milk Bank was established to ensure that the babies who are unable to access breastmilk from their own mothers for any number of reasons can still reap the enormous benefits of breastmilk, including boosting their immune systems and protecting them from various ailments and diseases,” said Dr. Nguyễn Quốc Hùng, Director of Quảng Ninh Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital.

“I was consulted about my own nutrition and advised about how to breastfeed during one of my prenatal visits,” said Nguyễn Ngọc Hân, one of the first 18 human milk donors.

“I remember the moment when my child was first placed on my chest after birth, and was so excited to breastfeed for the first time.

"No formula can replace breastmilk. That is why I donated breast milk to the milk bank with the hope that more babies like mine will get the best nutrition and grow up healthy.”

Human milk donors are screened and counselled, and asked to make a long-term commitment to breast milk donation. Donated breast milk is tested, pasteurised and preserved according to strict procedures to ensure safety and quality.

The human milk bank is capable of providing pasteurised breast milk to 1,000 premature, underweight and sick babies in the hospital and another 20,000 vulnerable babies in the province.

The Centre of Excellence for Breastfeeding Initiative has been developed and implemented by Việt Nam’s Ministry of Health, provincial Departments of Health with support from Alive & Thrive and Irish Aid, encouraging health facilities to create and maintain breastfeeding-friendly environments by practising early essential newborn care and supporting breastfeeding. — VNS