Breastfeeding is a vital component of infant health and development, providing essential nutrients that are crucial during the first months of life.

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), a World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) initiative to ensure all maternity facilities around the world promote, protect and support breastfeeding, is being applied in Rarotonga with a policy developed specifically for the Cook Islands.

Yesterday, Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health launched the Rarotonga Breastfeeding Hospital Policy, Bachelor of Nursing Internship, Postgraduate Midwifery Internship, and Sleep Apnoea programme.

Minister for Health Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown said, “I’m proud, this is a great achievement for us, not only for Te Marae Ora, but for our nation the Cook Islands.”

“We need to have strong policies in place especially the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. This is an important part of our children, our future – the first 1000 days of their lives is so important.”

Toki-Brown acknowledged that these postnatal services in the homes were once around.

“We are bringing back these services since we have found that this is one of the gaps – and one of the reasons why we are having so many health issues,” she said.

“We can’t do this alone, there is education, social services and welfare as well.”

Secretary of Te Marae Ora Bob Williams said: ‘Every child who is born is special to us, and our focus is to ensure that they are well looked after from the time that they are born, especially the first 1000 days of their lives.”

Williams said they are also working with the Minister and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to extend the duration of maternity leave.

“To have the amendments done to the Employments Relations Act to increase the number of weeks for maternity leave which currently sits at six weeks, to be increased to 12 weeks minimum,” he said.

Te Marae Ora has launched the Rarotonga Breastfeeding Hospital Policy, the Bachelor of Nursing Internship, Postgraduate Midwifery Internship, and Sleep Apnoea programme. MELINA ETCHES/24120922

The Breastfeeding Hospital Policy is developed specifically for the Cook Islands to ensure that safe breastfeeding practices are advocated and implemented across the nation to promote healthier lives for newborn children.

Dr Karen Hammad, the nursing adviser for the Pacific Community (SPC), has been working in Rarotonga for several months on leave to roll out and develop the BFHI programme and to develop the policy.

She said one of the biggest successes has been the introduction of a community-based postnatal service, which ensures that all mothers and infants receive expert midwifery follow-ups in their homes for the first four to six weeks after birth.

“This service has been operational for three months now and is already showing great results,” said Dr Hammad.

She is confident that this policy will significantly improve outcomes for Cook Islands babies during their first 1000 days.

Meanwhile Minister Toki-Brown is also “proud” of the achievements of the new cohort of nurses who graduated on Friday.

“They are a great investment for us.”

She acknowledged the Secretary of Te Marae Ora and all the management team, “they are the ones doing the work and must be acknowledged”.