Social Mobilization For Breastfeeding In Brazil

The experiences in social marketing breastfeeding practices in Brazil provides another salient example with lessons for communicators. A number of studies revealed the sharp erosion of breastfeeding practices and high death rates after weaning in children between the ages one to five month. the programme, launched in 1981, targeted a broad spectrum besides mothers: Doctors, Health service, Hospital, the Infant food industry, employers, decision-makers and local communities. The main components of the programme were:
1. Education and motivational campaigns
2. Modification of maternity hospital systems
3. Provision of facilities for pregnant and lactating mothers in the community and workplace
4. fostering appropriate legislation for manufacturers of breast-milk substitutes and
5. information/education on maternal nutrition and weaning practices.
in 1985, a mass media campaigns was launched, involving nearly 100 television stations, 600 radio stations, press ads, messages on lottery tickets, utility bills and bank statements all over the country. It also involved 1,5 million booklets for mother, flipcharts for health workers, manuals for community leaders, pamphlets and bulleting for doctors, slide-sound sets and a top-quality advocacy film.
However, perhaps the most salient lesson to be learned from the experiences was the alliances estabilished to support the programme. in all, five ministries and three professional medical and nutrition groups were involved in a National Working Group which formulated plans and stimulated action at the national and state level among their employees, members, and associated institutions. At the community level mothers’ groups were formed and breastfeeding was promoted through extension workers, university students, the church and other voluntary groups.
An evaluation of the programme in 1990 revealed an important increase in the median duration of breastfeeding in Greater Sao Paulo from 84 to 146 days between 1981 and 1987. It also revealed reduction in infant mortality due to diarrhea, respiratory infection and other infections of 32 percent, 22 percent, and 17 percent, respectively.

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