Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Gatheru, Peter
• Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth
• Kimiywe, Judith
• Wekesah, Frederick
• Muhia, Nelson
• Wanjohi, Milka
• Samburu, Betty

Titel

A BABY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY INITIATIVE IN KENYA: HARNESSING THE POTENTIAL OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH STRATEGY IN ENHANCING MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH STATUS IN RURAL KENYA

Ist Teil von

• Annals of nutrition and metabolism, 2017-10, Vol.71 (Suppl. 2), p.581

Ort / Verlag

Basel: S. Karger AG

Erscheinungsjahr

2017

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Background and objectives: Background:The Baby Friendly Community Initiative (BFCI) is a multifaceted program for the promotion of optimal breastfeeding and maternal, infant and young child nutrition practices in the community. BFCI extends the care provided at the health facility through the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to the community, while providing the mothers and their babies a comprehensive support system to improve breastfeeding practices and other maternal, infant and young child nutrition practices at the community level thereby bridging the gap between health facilities and the community. Objectives: We present the design and implementation of the BFCI in rural Kenya, while highlighting its contribution to the improvement of maternal and child nutritional and health status. BFCI leverages on the community health strategy, a program established by the government of Kenya in 2007, and one that uses the vast network of community health volunteers to promote health care at the community level. Methods: The BFCI is implemented within the community health strategy. The community units, which includes the community health volunteers (CHVs) and the community health committees (CHC) are sensitized on appropriate and optimal maternal, infant and young child nutrition practices. The CHVs are empowered and facilitated by knowledge and materials to provide home based counselling to pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers on maternal, infant and young child nutrition practices. Results: The BFCI program in the rural community in Koibatek sub County, Baringo County engages about 260 CHVs, in 13 community units. From August 2015 to December 2016, CHVs have been actively involved in home visits and counselling of pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families in the community. BFCI also includes introduction of sustainable income generating activities, formation of community mother support groups which includes men and other community members as they influence feeding practices at household level. Conclusions: Ultimately, we hope that the BFCI will: (i) strengthen the capacity for CHVs and the community members regarding MIYCN at community level; (ii) improve nutrition, health and survival of children substantially; and (iii) inform the design and implementation of ongoing and future interventions while advancing knowledge among the research community locally and internationally.