Theme: BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT : CLOSE TO MOTHER

The World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated with great enthusiasm at the Goa Medical College in collaboration with Voluntary Health Association of Goa (VHAG) and the Food and Nutrition board, Govt. of India & Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Goa State Chapter.

The pediatricians from GMC, Dr. M. P. Silveira, Dr. Shilpa Joglekar, Dr. Annely D'Lima, Dr. Jagadish Bhat, Dr. Lorraine D'Sa and Dr. Vinda Arlekar along with the Lactation Counselors of VHAG - Mrs Rochelle Fernandes & Ms Suvarna Kumbhar lined up various activities for the week:

On 1st Aug, 2013 - Dr Annely D'Lima - Lecturer, GMC spoke on Infant and young child feeding practices and feeding during emergencies at the Directorate of health services, Panjim. This was organised by the Food & Nutrition Board, Ministry of Women & Child Development, Govt of India.

On 2nd Aug, 2013, Dr Shilpa Joglekar, Assisstant Professor, GMC gave a talk on importance of breastfeeding to a large group of mothers in the post natal ward, the MBBS interns enacted a role play on the breastfeeding theme of this year, followed by a talk on breast feeding techniques by the lactation Counsellor Mrs. Rochelle Fernandes. Finally the HOD of Pediatrics, GMC Dr M.P.Silveira summarized the benefits of exclusive breast feeding and urged everyone to support all mothers to achieve this goal.

On 5th Aug, 2013 VHAG in collaboration with department of Pediatrics, GMC, organised a poster competition, where students of Institute of Nursing Education-Bambolim, Goa College of Home Science -Miramar, Apollo College of Nursing - Margao & Vrundavan College of Nursing- Mapusa participated . The topic was BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT : CLOSE TO MOTHER. The first prize was a tie bagged by INE 3rd year Students - John Mota, Mayur Dessai,Santosh Bandekar along with Ms Purva K Kolhe of Home Science College. The Second prize was bagged by INE 4th year student Ms Nisha Sahani.

On 6th Aug, 2013, the INE students enacted a one act play in the post natal Wards at GMC.

On 7th Aug, 2013 - The INE 3rd year students conducted a Role play in the post- natal wards. A Quiz competition and interactive session was also organized for the mothers and their relatives to dispel the myths regarding breast feeding. All these activities were appreciated and applauded by the patients and their relatives.