Dear Lactnetters,

At the outset I must mention that as a new entrant to the net I am very
impressed to see the number of western healthcare professionals interested
in promotion of breast feeding. However I am also concerned about the
occasional cynical comments from professionals and the number of adverse
publicity by the industry in your part of the world. For all those out
there who are not yet convinced about the harmful effects of artificial
feeds I have a comment to make -

Breast feed is the fundamental right of a new born baby, depriving it in
any form is a crime. Just because a baby has no means of defending his
right does not imply that it doesn't matter if he/she gets it,  not unlike
any other fundamental right. It is the prime responsibility of the health
care professionals to be the advocates for infants and children, just like
how one is expected to defend their rights in a child abuse case. By not
doing what one is expected to do one should be liable to prosecution  for
neglect. To say that it is afterall the right of the mother or the parents
to decide on how or what they feed their children is equivalent to
depriving one's right to uphold the other's, even if you can provide the
next best alternative in exchange.

I hope the UNICEF and the various associations out there take this up as a
legal issue and give adequate publicity so that breastfeeding is eventually
included in the law of the land as a fundamental right.

Sincerely

Dr. Arun K Nair MD
National BFHI Committee member
Muscat
Sultanate of Oman

PS: The whole nation barring a few western educated/ influenced specialists
and parents  practise the policies of BFHI program in letter and spirit,
not because there is a policy but because they are convinced from the
bottom of their heart that it is the right thing to do.

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> From: Automatic digest processor <[log in to unmask]>
> To: Recipients of LACTNET digests <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: LACTNET Digest - 6 Aug 1997 - Special issue
> Date: Wednesday, August 06, 1997 9:27 PM
>