'It's child abuse if you don't breastfeed'"

January 17 2003 at 01:56PM



By Patrick Leeman

Mothers, except those who are HIV-positive, who deliberately avoid breastfeeding their babies are guilty of "child abuse".

This is the view of Dr Neil Moran, chairperson of the Breastfeeding Committee of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Phoenix."

Moran, Sister Vanitha Naidoo, trainer and co-ordinator of the hospital's breastfeeding programme, and their team, recently won a "Baby Friendly" award from the World Health Organisation and United Nations Children's Fund.

This prestigious award is granted to only a few hospitals in South Africa, and is recognition by the organisations that the hospital has routines, policies and staff that support breastfeeding.