Dear Hajime, Neil & Tony,
Thank you so much for the great advocacy work you are doing on the advertising of commercial marketing of BMS in journals for the healthy children. While I agree that there is the International code of marketing that should guide and guard against the advertising of BMS, I would want all to recognise that this is not being adhered to in the strict sense. There are still ongoing code violations and this should be monitored by Paediatricians at individual country levels. It is up to all of us as Paediatricians in middle and low-income countries (MLICS) where the impact of poverty bites hard and affects the state of the nutrition of infants and young children (< 5 years old). The MLICS scenarios for infant and young child nutrition are deplorable. We need to act now and fast to ensure breastfeeding promotion and support is sustained and breastfeeding beyond 2 years is entrenched in all our communities. This can only be achieved through Code implementation and strict monitoring for adherence to the code at individual country levels.
National Paediatric Associations should ensure the reactivation of their code monitoring teams. These teams should ensure that as part of their functions, they advocate and stop in-country adverts on BMS for healthy children in the public media and journals.
The new WHO recommendation for feeding small & sick Newborns has clearly stated that when mothers' milk is not sufficient for feeding such categories of Babies, Human DONOR milk should be provided. As Paediatricians in LMICS, can we move towards implementing this recommendation and make it a reality? It is possible! Let us support the implementation of the newly launched BFHI for the small and sick newborns!
Dr Angela Anene Okolo
CHIFA profile: Angela Anene Okolo is a Consultant Pediatrician at the Federal Medical Center, Asaba, Delta State in Nigeria. Professional interests: Neonatal Pediatrics & Global child health Issues. Email address: aneneolisa AT gmail.com