LIVES OF BABIES AT RISK Kathmandu, 3 Aug.: The government's failure to monitor baby formula milk in the market has put the lives of infants in danger, The Himalayan Times reports. Although the government has introduced a law to control the sale and distribution of infant food items, the market is flooded with varieties of formula milk, which can result to malnutrition and child mortality. Infant formula is a manufactured food designed for babies and infants, usually prepared for bottle-feeding or cup-feeding from powder (mixed with water) or liquid (with or without additional water). Although the Breast Milk Substitutes Act 1992 has a provision to appoint inspectors to monitor the sale and distribution of the formula milk, it has never been implemented. The Act also aims at regulating the import of such infant food items. The promotion of such food shall be handled as an offence against the state. According to the Act, formula milk is only allowed to infants if they do not have mother. The shopkeeper must sell such food items on two conditions — by conducting an inquiry and with a prescription from the doctor. Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, director of the Child Health Division at the Health Ministry said little work has been done for the implementation of the act. According to Dr Upreti, the involvement of multi-sectoral ministries, departments and agencies has made effective implementation of the Act difficult. "Many urban mothers bottle-feed their children due to their tight schedule and cheaply available formula milk," said Upreti adding that most of the time mothers are unaware of the negative impact of the formula milk on their babies. He said breastfeeding is ideal for newborns and infants as it is safe and gives babies the nutrients needed for their healthy development. Unlike formulas, breast milk has many substances that protect babies from many diseases and infections. Professor in child health Dr Prakash Sundar Shrestha said the government's failure to implement the act has put the lives of infants in peril. According to Dr Shrestha, breastfed babies are less likely to catch diarrhoea, pneumonia and infection. Meanwhile, the bottle milk may cause various infections to the children. Formula milk fed children are 25 times more at risk of diarrhoea and three times of pneumonia, informed Shrestha. In 1997/98, the government had worked for establishing seven 'baby- friendly hospitals' nationwide where the health workers were taught to promote breastfeeding. However, the recent assessment carried on December 2011 showed that not even a single hospital has followed the guideline to promote such a hospital. The seven hospitals are Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Patan Hospital, Bhaktapur Hospital, Paropakar Maternity Hospital, Dharan Hospital, Koshi zonal Hospital and Hetuda Hospital. Dr Upreti said the government is working to revive the concept of baby-friendly hospitals to promote breastfeeding in near future. According to Nepal Demographic and Health Survey - 2011, 70 per cent of Nepali children under six months are exclusively breastfed and 98 per cent of children have been breastfed at least once in their lifetime. nnnn