Tamil Nadu Marks 'Breastfeeding Week' With Launch Of 300 Public Rooms

 

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa inaugurating separate enclosures for lactating mothers at 352 bus terminals across the State, via video-conferencing in the city on Monday August 03,2015

Coinciding with the UN-backed World Breastfeeding Week August 01-07,2015, Tamil Nadu saw the launch of over 300 public rooms that can be exclusively accessed by women who need to breastfeed.

Locations of these public rooms include the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CBMT) where a centralised air-conditioned room provides eight compartments (separated with a curtain) that are also staffed with nurses

These enclosures are set up by the TN Government to assist several lactating mothers,who in the past, are forced to wait or feed their children in public.

Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa had announced the launch of this event to help mothers deal with the difficulties of feeding their children in public places.

In addition to this, the CM also inaugurated also inaugurated seven Mother’s milk banks at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital (Tiruchy), Government Rajaji Hospital (Madurai), Government Medical College Hospital (Coimbatore), Government Medical College Hospital (Theni), Mohan Kumaramangalam Government Medical College Hospital (Salem), Raja Mirasdar Government Hospital (Thanjavur) and Government Hospital for Women and Children (Egmore)
Each mother’s milk bank has been provided `10 lakh for equipment like refrigerators, breast milk pumps, etc. The milk collected in these banks could be stored for three months and provided to babies in need