Ban on advertising of breast milk substitutes
In the draft Decree regulating the business and use of nutritional products for young children, the Ministry of Health proposes to strictly prohibit the advertising of breast milk substitutes for children up to 24 months old and supplementary foods for children up to 6 months old.
Ministry of Health proposes to strictly ban advertising of dairy products
Breast milk substitute for children up to 24 months old - Illustration photo
According to the provisions of the Decree21/2006/ND-CPCurrently in effect, advertising of milk for children under 12 months of age is strictly prohibited. In addition, the Ministry proposes to strictly prohibit advertising of feeding bottles with artificial nipples and pacifiers in any form; and advertising images of fetuses or newborns in advertising of milk for pregnant women.
The Ministry of Health also proposed that advertising supplementary foods for children aged 6-24 months must ensure the following requirements: 1- The first part of the advertisement must include the content: "Breast milk is the best food for the health and comprehensive development of young children"; 2- The advertisement content must clearly state "This product is not milk and does not have the effect of replacing breast milk"; in accordance with the provisions of Article 4, Article 5 of this Decree and other provisions of law on advertising and food safety.
No marketing of breast milk substitutes
In addition, the Ministry of Health proposed to stipulate that heads of establishments producing and trading nutritional products for young children or their legal representatives are not allowed to send employees to have direct or indirect contact with pregnant mothers, women or their family members at medical facilities and other locations.
At the same time, it is not allowed to organize gifts of breast milk substitutes to doctors, medical staff or medical facilities; material benefits or items with the company's name or logo, nutritional products for young children; organize displays of breast milk substitutes at medical facilities; prominently display the name and logo of breast milk substitutes on banners, posters and other promotional materials in retail stores and medical facilities.
According to the Ministry of Health, production and business establishments are not allowed to apply promotional measures for breast milk substitutes such as giving away samples, giving away coupons, prizes, gifts, calculating bonus points, discounts or any other forms; using the form of scholarship sponsorship, scientific research sponsorship, funding for training, conferences, seminars, courses, concerts, telephone consulting services or other forms; conducting education and communication related to child care.
Breastfeed your baby within the first hour after birth.
The Ministry of Health also specifically proposes the responsibilities of pregnant women, mothers and family members: Breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continuing breastfeeding until 24 months of age or longer. Children 6 months and older need to be given appropriate and proper complementary feeding.
At the same time, parents and family members who need to learn about how to raise young children or have difficulties raising young children should immediately go to a medical facility to get advice on how to raise children properly and appropriately; care for and raise young children, providing the best conditions for their comprehensive development; learn about the benefits of breastfeeding and the difficulties and limitations of feeding children with milk substitutes or bottle-feeding.
The Ministry of Health said that currently, the rate of children being breastfed is still very low. The rate of children being breastfed within the first hour after birth is 39.7%. The rate of children being exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months is 17%. The rate of children being breastfed when they reach 1 year old is 73.9% but only 19.4% when they reach 2 years old.
In most localities, the rate of children being exclusively breastfed in the first 6 months is still very low: Dong Thap only reaches 2-3%, Phu Tho reaches about 12%, Hai Phong only reaches 13.4%, Thai Nguyen reaches 10%.... The rate of children suffering from malnutrition and diseases related to diarrhea, respiratory infections and other infectious diseases is still high.
| According to the World Health Organization, breast milk provides 100% of a child's nutritional needs in the first 6 months, and 50% of that need from 6 to 12 months. In the second year, breast milk can still provide 33% of a child's nutritional needs. In addition, exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life and continuing to breastfeed until at least 2 years of age will bring many health benefits, helping children avoid diseases such as malnutrition, pneumonia, diarrhea... Studies show that: Breastfeeding is an effective way to prevent allergies in children, increases children's resistance to common diseases and cardiovascular diseases, helps children develop a good nervous system, has a positive impact on children's brain development, helps develop the musculoskeletal system of the mouth and throat, is less disruptive in adolescence and adulthood, is less likely to have diabetes in middle age, is less likely to have osteoporosis and spinal degeneration in old age, and helps protect the mother's health. |
Please readFull textand comment on the drafthere.
According to (Chinhphu.vn) – LT
