A healthcare provider at the National Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital helps a mother breastfeed her baby within one hour after birth.(Source: VNA)Da Nang (VNA) - Domestic andinternational health experts gathered in the central City of Da Nang on August17 to call on countries to promote early essential newborn care (EENC).
The event was organised by the World HealthOrganisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) themed“First embrace: benefitting another 4 million newborns”.
According to the WHO, a newborn baby dies everytwo minutes in the Western Pacific Region. A major contributor to newborndeaths is early separation from mothers after birth. These deaths can beprevented by practicing EENC after birth to save the lives of newborns and givethem the best start.
The core of EENC is the First Embrace –immediate and thorough drying after birth followed by skin-to-skin contact,appropriately timed clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord and exclusivebreastfeeding.
EENC can be performed in all birth settings. Theapproach has been applied in 16 nations across the world, with more than 30,000medical workers receiving training at 2,522 medical institutions, and has benefitednearly four million newborns.
According to Nguyen DucVinh, Director of the Heath Ministry's Maternal and ChildHealth Department, Vietnam has made great efforts in performing EENC.
So far, the method has been implemented in allprovinces and cities nationwide, with nearly 9,000 trained medical workers. Upto 78 percent of full-termed infants have skin-to-skin contact with theirmothers, and are breastfed right after birth.
The “First Embrace” campaign was first launchedin the Philippines in March, 2015. The campaign has been launched in eightnations, namely Cambodia, China, Laos, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, thePhilippines, the Solomon Islands and Vietnam.-VNA
VNA
