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The World Health
Organisation Executive Board is meeting in Geneva from 15-23
January 2001. (See the WHO
website for WHO documents)
Agenda item 8.3 addresses
Guidelines on working with the private sector to achieve
health outcomes
Agenda item 3.1 addresses
Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding.
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British
Medical Journal 27th January 2001: Campaigners for Breastfeeding
Claim Partial Victory.
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22nd January
2001: After 13 hours of discussion in committee, the
Executive Board has approved a recommended
Resolution on Infant and Young Child Nutrition
to go forward to the World Health Assembly in May 2001.
(An IBFAN press release will be posted shortly).
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19th January
2001: The Drafting Committee has agreed the text for
the Resolution, which is to go forward to the World Health
Assembly in 2001. The WHO Secretariat is preparing the Resolution
document for formal approval by the Committee on Monday
22nd January.
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18th January
2001: The drafting committee discussed the Resolution,
again in the presence of Dr. Brundtland, Dr. Nabarro and
senior staff. The committee will meet again tomorrow.
Under the International
Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, adopted as
WHO policy by the World Health Assembly in 1981, reports are
presented to the Assembly by the WHO Director General every
two years in even years.
At the 2000 World
Health Assembly a Resolution addressing infant feeding issues
was put forward for consideration. This was held over to the
present Executive Board meeting for re-drafting in time for
the 2001 World Health Assembly in May.
The baby food industry
is opposing the adoption of a Resolution this year (see British
Medical Journal report 9 September 2000). In part this is
thought to be because the appropriate age for introduction of
complementary foods is being addressed. The industry continues
to disregard the 1994 Resolution
47.5 which said complementary feeding should be fostered
from "about 6 months" of age. Some products are labelled
for use from 4 months of age, or even earlier, putting infant
health at risk.
The extra sales of
complementary foods resulting from labelling products for use
from 4 months of age rather than 6 months is estimated to be
worth US$1 billion annually. IBFAN is calling for health concerns
to be put before profits. (For further information see Baby
Milk Action's Update
28 newsletter).
If the industry succeeds
in stopping the age issue from being re-affirmed this year it
may strengthen its hand at the Codex Alimentarius Commission
meeting in June 2001. Codex has still to decide on the standards
for labels of complementary foods. Codex comes under WHO and
the Food and Agricultural Organisation. Its standards are referenced
by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in case of trade disputes
over issues such as labelling. There are 61 countries with policies
promoting exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. These policies
could be ruled to be unfair barriers to trade by WTO if Codex
settles on "4 months" for complementary food labels,
enabling the industry to expand sales further with a consequent
impact on infant health.
Other infant feeding
issues for discussion at the Executive Board include:
- health claims
in product promotional materials,
- promotion on the
Internet,
- transmission of
HIV from mother to child,
- the need for independent
monitoring of the baby food industry,
- the need for independent
research on infant feeding issues.
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