Introduction

Introduction

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in Romania

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in Romania

Issue

Issue

Action

Action

Impact

Impact

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS

Issue

Issue

Action

Action

Impact

Impact

 

Action

UNICEF interventions aimed to assist the Government to improve health and nutrition policies, strategies, standards and services to ensure that children and women have better access to quality health services, cost-effective nutrition interventions, and integrated approaches to family health and community services.

Since 1996, when BFHI was first launched in Romania, UNICEF convened various national and local stakeholders in order to strengthen advocacy efforts for promoting the most effective and efficient nutrition policy through breastfeeding, eventually recognised as a significant component of the national public health policy. UNICEF also assisted in the strengthening of a partnership with the corporate sector, civil society organisations, good-will ambassadors and the general population. It did not merely promote corporate and public social responsibility for children, but also leveraged public resources with contributions from the private sector and individuals to advance progress in the area of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.

Technical assistance for system strengthening

Based on successful advocacy, UNICEF offered technical assistance for the following:

• National Committee on Breastfeeding;
• National Strategy and Plan of Action for Breastfeeding Promotion in Romania;
• BFHI included into the National Health Programme of the Ministry of Public Health;
• Evaluation and certification methodology and tools for maternity hospitals joining BFHI;
• Community Nurses Project included in the primary health care policy at the national level.

Capacity building of professionals in various sectors

In order to support policy dialogue and development, it was considered that knowledge on the BFHI approach at national and regional levels and capacity building activities were a priority. This included the strengthening of central level capacities of decision-makers on Strategic Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Certification of Baby-Friendly Hospitals, as well as an increase in local level capacities of primary and specialist health care professionals to improve the quality of community-level services for mother and child care. UNICEF also contributed to the strengthening of institutional capacity to assess and analyse the situation of children by ensuring the availability of disaggregated data, highlighting disparities among children.