The Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Nutrition Department, launched today (Wednesday) a National Guide of Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Said Harib Al-Lamki, MOH Undersecretary for Health Affairs.

The launching ceremony was attended by directors general in the governorates, hospital directors, health workers, as well as maternal & infant healthcare providers.  

The ceremony included a training workshop aims to introduce the National Guide provisions, challenges faced by the institutions in implementing this initiative, and the BFHI international evaluation requirements. About 150 health workers have participated in the training workshop.

Dr. Salima Al-Mamari, Director of Nutrition Department at the Directorate General of Primary Health Care in the Ministry of Health indicated that the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched by WHO and UNICEF in 1991. The Sultanate of Oman was one of the countries initiated the implementation of the BFHI in 1992. At that time, all the hospitals in the Sultanate of Oman obtained the international accreditation.

Al-Mamari added that a national central team has been formed in 2022, supported by UNICEF, to evaluate this initiative across all the health institutions in the country. In addition, 59 nurses from various governorates, have been trained on the international breastfeeding program, and breastfeeding clinics were opened in most of the hospitals.