One of the things that really annoys me is hearing how we *can't
afford* to promote breastfeeding here in the USA, the richest country
in the whole world. Funny how they can *afford* a whole bunch of baby
friendly programmes in some of the less developed nations, isn't it?
If they can do it in the Philippines...
norma, on her soapbox again
http://www.bayanihan.org/html/article.php/20060814173244424
GMA confers order of Golden Heart to 2 outstanding Filipino women
MANILA, Aug. 14 (PNA) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred
Monday the Order of the Golden Heart with rank of Commander to two
Filipino women for their pioneering work in the field of breastfeeding
advocacy and nutrition and national diets during rites commemorating
Breastfeeding Week at Malacaņang's Rizal Hall.
The awarding ceremonies coincided with the commemoration of the 25th
anniversary of the International Milk Code, the 20th anniversary of
the National Milk Code (Executive Order No. 51) and the launching of
the amended Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order 51.
First to be awarded the Presidential Citation was Dr. Natividad
Clavano for her pioneering work in the field of pediatrics with her
work "Under-Five Clinic National Program," and in infant feeding with
her "Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative."
Clavano is more known for her work on the latter subject, which
promoted the use of breast milk for newborn infants and banned infant
formula from the maternity ward of the Baguio General Hospital. It
also enforced a regime of "rooming in" of the infant.
Clavano's Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was based on a study
conducted in her hospital, which showed a very dramatic reduction of
infant illness and mortality after the use of baby milk formula and
teats from maternity wards were totally eliminated.
This radical program made the good doctor famous all over the world
with 192 countries replicating this initiative. It also spurred the
World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF) to pass the International Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk
Substitutes and Other Related Products in 1981.
This unilateral declaration pushed the revolutionary government of
then President Corazon Aquino to sign into law EO 51 known as the
National Milk Code in 1986.
The second Filipina to be honored was Manuela Maramba who holds the
distinction of being the first nutritionist in the Philippines.
Maramba, through her Philippine Nutrition Program, rejected the
proposal of post-World War II UNICEF to import milk into the country
as part of its program of nutrition to rehabilitate its war-ravaged
society.
Instead, Maramba encouraged the consumption of indigenous foods that
are good or an even better source of nutrients, especially calcium,
than imported milk.
She said that Filipino cooking methods efficiently extract calcium
from bones and vegetables, with the use of sour or acidic ingredients
such as vinegar, tamarind, calamansi, kamias, and santol and deliver
to the Filipino palate through adobo, sinampalukang manok, paksiw,
sinigang and others.
This revolutionary approach of Maramba to Public Health Nutrition
instantly received recognition from the WHO and the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which jointly sent her to
develop National Nutrition Diets using indigenous food sources in
Burma, India and Sumatra.
She was then asked to help the South Pacific Commission of the UN to
similarly develop National Nutrition Diets for all the Pacific
Islands, including Micronesia, Melanesia and New Caledonia.
The Order of the Golden Heart gives official recognition to foreign
and local citizens who have rendered distinguished services or given
noteworthy monetary or material aid, encouragement to the campaign for
the amelioration and improvement of the moral, social and economic
conditions of the Filipino masses.
Joining the President during the awarding ceremonies were Secretary of
Health Francisco Duque III, Representative and Vice Chair of the House
Committee on Health Ana York Bondoc, UNICEF Country Representative
Nicholas Alipui, Presidential Consultant Hilarion Henares, Jr.,
Children for Breastfeeding co-founder and breastfeeding advocate
Elvira Henares-Esguerra and Philippine Medical Association president
Jose Sabili.
President Arroyo signed Presidential Proclamation No. 884 on July 29,
2005 declaring the week of August 1 to 7 of every year as World
Breastfeeding Week in the Philippines. (PNA)
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