Themed “Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal - For Life!” the 23rd World Breast-Feeding Week will take place from August 1 to 7, 2014. The National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) jointly held a promotion on August 1 with the WHO, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Beijing Health and Family Planning Commission, aiming at raising public awareness of the importance of breastfeeding.

Qin Geng, deputy director-general of the department of maternal and child health, pointed out in his speech that children are the future of a nation. Breastfeeding is crucial to children’s health. It is scientifically confirmed that breast milk is the best food for infants, because it not only contains all the nutritional ingredients that infants need to grow, but also has elements to strengthen immunity. Breastfeeding is good for infants, reducing the attacks of contagious diseases as well as preventing chronic diseases in adulthood. What’s more, it can speed up a women’s recovery after childbirth. Breastfeeding benefits maternal and children’s health, family and social harmony, and the improvement of the quality of newborn babies, a consensus agreed upon across the world.

To promote breastfeeding across China, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) releases notices to standardize and improve the services provided by healthcare institutions. It cooperates with the China Food and Drug Administration and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce to issue notices to control breast milk substitutes. The NHFPC compiles books about the benefits of breastfeeding, answering some common questions, in order to raise the awareness of breastfeeding in public. It also strengthens the management of baby friendly hospitals, teaching breastfeeding knowledge and skills to pregnant women through obstetrics outpatient clinics, pregnant women schools and obstetrical wards. It opens breastfeeding outpatient clinics and hotlines to help mothers solve breastfeeding problems.

Representatives from international organizations; the National Center for Women and Children’s Health, the Maternal and Child Health Care of China Association, the China Preventive Medicine Association, the Society of Child Health and other groups; relevant people from health departments of Beijing’s districts and counties; and presidents of the Maternal and Child Health Hospital attended the activity.