Al Jazeera: Why South Africa’s plan to boost breastfeeding fails
“…The updated health department infant and child feeding policy mandates that public health facilities stop providing formula milk to all new mothers, and that women receive counseling on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding. The government also has been promoting Human Milk Banks, a service that allows nursing mothers to donate breast milk to organizations that store and distribute the milk. It has been five years since these policies were implemented, but breastfeeding rates in the country remain low. … [Health Minister Aaron] Motsoaledi blames inadequate information from health care workers for the difficulties women face in breastfeeding management, as well as a lack of support within the households with negative attitudes towards breastfeeding, as well as unsupportive work environments…” (Wadvalla, 11/19).