Mothers Absolute Affection Programme | Promotion of Breast feeding

Under the National Health Mission of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, improving breastfeeding practices for quality survival of newborns is one of the important interventions.

In order to strengthen this, a yearlong ‘MAA’ (Mothers’ Absolute Affection) Programme has been launched all over the country from August 2016.

‘MAA’ (MOTHERS’ ABSOLUTE AFFECTION) is a Programme for breastfeeding promotion through health systems.

Goals & Objectives 

The goal of the ‘MAA’ Programme is to revitalize efforts towards promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding practices through health systems to achieve higher breastfeeding rates.

The following are the objectives of the Programme in order to achieve the above mentioned goal:

a) Build an enabling environment for breastfeeding through awareness generation activities, targeting pregnant and lactating mothers, family members and society in order to promote optimal breastfeeding practices. Breastfeeding to be positioned as an important intervention for child survival and development.

b) Reinforce lactation support services at public health facilities through trained healthcare providers and through skilled community health workers.

c) To incentivize and recognize those health facilities that show high rates of breastfeeding along with processes in place for lactation management.

Components of the Programme (Overview)

AWARENESS GENERATION : Building an enabling environment & demand generation through Mass media and Mid media

COMMUNITY LEVEL INTERVENTIONS : Capacity building of community health workers – ASHAs, AWWs & ANMs – on breastfeeding  & Community dialogue – by ASHAs through mother’ meetings; & lactation support and interpersonal communication – by skilled ANMs at VHNDs/sub-centres

HEALTH FACILITY STRENGTHENING : Capacity building of auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs)/nurses doctors on lactation support and managment at facilities & Role reinforcement on breastfeeding – at all delivery points

MONITORING : Monitoring and Awards/Recognition