Al Ghazal Hessa, Rashid Shehnaz, Ruf Evelyne
1 Sharjah Baby-Friendly Campaign , Sharjah, United Arab Emirates .
2 Maternal and Child Health , Ministry of Health, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates .
Breastfeed Med. 2015 Nov;10(9):437-41. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2015.0095.
Breastfeeding promotion, protection, and support are one of the most cost-effective public health interventions to advance maternal and child health. The World Health Organization, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, and numerous health organizations have recommended exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life, which is a key indicator of breastfeeding promotion programs worldwide. Despite the recommendations and various initiatives to promote breastfeeding, most women do not reach the exclusive breastfeeding target in both developed and developing countries. Such has been the case in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Therefore, based on the decree for breastfeeding promotion, protection, and support by the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE, H.H. Sheikh Doctor Sultan Al Qasimi, a multisectorial, multidirectional breastfeeding campaign--the Sharjah Baby-Friendly Campaign--was launched in March 2012 by H.E. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, under her patronage. It consisted of four initiatives-namely, Baby-Friendly Health Facility, Mother-Friendly Workplace, Breastfeeding-Friendly Nursery, and Mother-Baby Friendly Public Place. Once an organization met the criteria for any of these initiatives, it was awarded the designation or accreditation of that initiative.
The campaign initiatives worked through capacity building of healthcare workers, provided professional support and facilitation for the accreditation process, developed breastfeeding education content and resources, and organized and conducted breastfeeding promotion seminars in health facilities and community, as well as community outreach through social media and an innovative mobile mother' room.
The positive impact of the campaign on breastfeeding promotion, protection, and support is evident by the increased exclusive breastfeeding rate at 6 months and decreased bottle feeding rates at both 4 and 6 months.
促进、保护和支持母乳喂养是改善母婴健康最具成本效益的公共卫生干预措施之一。世界卫生组织、联合国儿童基金会以及众多卫生组织都建议在婴儿出生后的前6个月进行纯母乳喂养，这是全球母乳喂养促进项目的一项关键指标。尽管有这些建议以及各种促进母乳喂养的举措，但在发达国家和发展中国家，大多数女性都未能达到纯母乳喂养的目标。阿拉伯联合酋长国（阿联酋）的情况亦是如此。
因此，根据阿联酋沙迦酋长国统治者谢赫·苏丹·阿尔·卡西米博士殿下颁布的促进、保护和支持母乳喂养的法令，在谢哈·博杜尔·阿尔·卡西米阁下的赞助下，于2012年3月发起了一项多部门、多方向的母乳喂养运动——沙迦爱婴运动。该运动包括四项举措，即爱婴健康机构、爱母工作场所、爱婴托儿所和母婴友好公共场所。一旦一个组织符合这些举措中的任何一项标准，就会被授予该举措的指定或认证。
该运动举措通过对医护人员进行能力建设来开展工作，为认证过程提供专业支持和便利，开发母乳喂养教育内容和资源，并在医疗机构和社区组织和举办母乳喂养促进研讨会，以及通过社交媒体和一个创新的移动母婴室进行社区宣传。
该运动对母乳喂养的促进、保护和支持产生的积极影响在6个月时纯母乳喂养率的提高以及4个月和6个月时奶瓶喂养率的降低中显而易见。
