Child health, infant formula funding and South African health professionals : eliminating conflict of interest

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Authors

Lake, L.
Kroon, M.
Sanders, D.
Goga, Ameena Ebrahim
Witten, C.
Swart, R.
Saloojee, H.
Scott, C
Manyuha, M.
Doherty, T.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Health and Medical Publishing Group

Abstract

Despite clear evidence of the benefits of exclusive and continued breastfeeding for children, women and society, far too few children in South Africa (SA) are breastfed. One of the major impediments to improving this situation is the continued and aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes (BMSs) and infiltration of the BMS industry into contexts with exposure to health professionals. In this article we, as academics, practitioners and child health advocates, describe contraventions of the regulations that protect breastfeeding in SA and argue that bold, proactive leadership to eliminate conflict of interest in respect of the BMS industry is urgently required, together with far greater investments in proven interventions to promote and support breastfeeding.

Description

Keywords

Breastfeeding, Regulations, Children, South Africa (SA), Health professionals, Infant formula funding, Child health

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Lake, L., Kroon, M., Sanders, D. et al. 2019, 'Child health, infant formula funding and South African health professionals: Eliminating conflict of interest', South African Medical Journal, vol. 109, no. 12, pp. 902-906.