Breastfeeding Walk-in Clinic opened

Health Minister Louis Deguara yesterday inaugurated a Breastfeeding Walk-in Clinic at Karen Grech Hospital.

Doctors agree that breast milk is far better for newborns than manufactured milk, but the number of breastfeeding mothers in Malta is still low due to a lack of awareness, the minister said.

"There had been demand for a service that informs breastfeeding mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding their children instead of feeding them powdered milk. From now on, qualified people will help them overcome the difficulties of breastfeeding in this new facility," Dr Deguara said.

Though the concept of breastfeeding clinics was introduced abroad a while ago, the setting up of such a clinic in Malta would bring about more awareness, he said. "The Health Division and the Health Promotion Department had embarked on a number of campaigns to encourage breastfeeding but rates are still low in Malta," he said.

Dr Deguara mentioned the Unicef report that said that Malta had the least number of child deaths. "We have also made the most dramatic leap forward in reducing child deaths since 1990. The report says Malta slashed the under-five mortality rate from 14 per 1,000 births in 1990 to five in 2002."

Dr Deguara said Malta's progress in this respect reflected the excellent support services at Karen Grech hospital and in paediatrics.