Ministry of Health of the Province of Neuquen

These spaces promote lactation and the well-being of breastfeeding people in the workplace.

As part of the World Breastfeeding Week, which is celebrated from August 1 to 7, it is important to highlight that the Ministry of Health of the province of Neuquén has been promoting various actions since 2019 to promote breastfeeding. So much so that over the past four years, 34 breastfeeding-friendly institutions have been accredited to promote breastfeeding and support breastfeeding people to return to work or continue their studies. The human milk network has also been strengthened with the addition of collection nodes, such as a connection to the Human Milk Bank.

Breastfeeding-friendly institutions increase advocacy and awareness of the importance of breastfeeding and safe nutrition best practices for infants and children aged two and over. A health policy that is part of the Provincial Health Plan 2019-2023 and the First 1000 Days strategy that has been implemented in the province since that time.

In this sense, Minister of Health Andrea Peve thanked and highlighted the fundamental work done by the Human Milk Network of Neuquen, the Human Milk Bank, the Provincial Commission for Breastfeeding and the Office of Maternity and Childhood. “As a mother, pediatrician and Minister of Health, I advocate human lactation because I think it is a fundamental policy. This is how we have worked all these years, with the clear goal of promoting and strengthening breastfeeding, building strategic alliances with organizations and institutions,” said Peve.

Thus, over the years, 34 Breastfeeding Friendly Institutions have been accredited: 15 hospitals, two health centers and 17 Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces. In order to obtain said certification, facility personnel must complete the training dictated by the Provincial Health Portfolio’s Maternal and Childhood Office, in addition to meeting certain requirements.

In hospitals and health centers, all staff are trained to promote breastfeeding and provide advice and tools to promote and protect breastfeeding. It is imperative that all employees have this knowledge, mainly because health care institutions help children and nutrition is part of their holistic development.

The accredited hospitals are Las Coloradas, Villa la Angostura, Centenario, Anelo, Piedra del Aguila, Las Lajas, Alumine, Sapala, San Martin de los Andes, Villa El Chocon, Pikun Leufu , Andacollo, Chos Malal, Rincón de los Sauces, Cutral. Co-Plaza Winkul; to which are added the wellness centers Villa Obrera and Sarmiento II in Centenario.

On the other hand, certified breastfeeding-friendly places are: Police Headquarters (Richieri Headquarters); Main Police Department (Lanin Headquarters); municipal kindergartens Mariano Moreno, Portal de Belém, Eva Perón and Elunei in the city of Neuquen; UFLO University (Headquarters Neuquen); Workers’ Cooperative (Andacollo branch); Co-op Co-op at Cutral Co-Plaza Huincul; UAF Gajitos de Tenderura (Plaza Huincul); Deputy Minister of Security for the Province of Neuquen; Ministry of Health of the Province of Neuquen; Pedagogical Institute No. 1 (Cutral Co); Provincial School of Technical Education No. 1 (Cutral Co); Development Planning and Action Secretariat (COPADE); Legislative Assembly of the Province of Neuquen; and the YPF (Cutral Co-Plaza Huincul) oil refinery.

It should be remembered that Provincial Law No. 2883 provides for the implementation of Lactarios in the public sphere.

In turn, it is important to note the strengthening of the Human Milk Network, which currently has 52 collection points located in healthcare institutions, both public and private, in educational institutions at all levels, institutions and public associations. Also cooperation with the Human Milk Bank, which has collected more than 3,800 liters of breast milk and more than 2,500 donors since 2016.