Legislation to protect breast feeding.

An International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes was passed by the World Health Assembly in 1981. Papua New Guinea had already introduced legislation to control feeding bottles in 1977. This legislation has been effective in reducing bottle feeding, severe malnutrition and diarrhoeal diseases and deaths amongst infants in Port Moresby. Several favourable conditions in Papua New Guinea have allowed the legislation to be successful, but constant vigilance is necessary to maintain the present success.