KCCA introduces breastfeeding corners at City hall
The breastfeeding corner will give nursing mothers a safe, clean and private space to breastfeed or express milk while at work.
The executive director of KCCA, Sharifah Buzeki and the director of public health and environment, Dr. Sarah Zalwango, at the City Breastfeeding corner. (Photos by Juliet Waiswa)
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For many working mothers, newborn babies come along with challenges; mothers need to beat deadlines at workplaces while breastfeeding the baby is also vital. It's against this background that Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has come up with breast feeding corners to enable breastfeeding mothers to feed their children.
The facility has breastfeeding corners enclosed area with a curtain, comfortable chairs with back support, handwashing facilities: clean and soap and good ventilation.
The breastfeeding corner will give nursing mothers a safe, clean and private space to breastfeed or express milk while at work.
For mothers who want to breast pump, the facility has a milk storage refrigerator, an electric breast pump and a warmer.
While unveiling the facility at City Hall, the executive director, Sharifah Buzeki, said the facility is a legal requirement, saying it reflects KCCA's commitment to putting its people at the heart of its work.
The facility was launched on Wednesday, August 13, as Uganda joins the rest of the world in marking August as Breastfeeding Month, a period dedicated to promoting breastfeeding and creating supportive environments for mothers and babies.
“This is more than a legal requirement. It is a demonstration of our people-centred approach. Our people are motivated to bring out their best when they know that their families are supported,”
Buzeki said. She added that employees are more motivated and productive when they know that their families and children are cared for.
The breast-feeding facility at City Hall
She said the facility would not have been possible without the strong working relationship between KCCA and its partners.
“If it were not for the good working relationship we have with our partners, we would not have launched this baby-friendly room,” she said.
Buzeki also challenged partners to take the initiative beyond City Hall by establishing similar facilities at division offices, markets and other workplaces where mothers spend their working days.
She said the Authority should continue looking for practical ways of making Kampala a city where women can work and care for their children without unnecessary barriers.
KCCA Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi said the corner carries a bigger message about the kind of workplace KCCA wants to build.
“Women perform best if the safety of their children is guaranteed,” Kigenyi said.
He said the breastfeeding corner gives mothers an opportunity to provide their children with safe and clean breast milk while continuing with their responsibilities at work.
Kigenyi described the facility as a support structure that will contribute to raising healthier children who can grow into productive citizens of Uganda.
The Director of Public Health and Environment, KCCA, Dr. Sarah Zalwango, said similar centres are open at Busega and Wandegeya Markets.
Senior Nutritionist and the Maternal, Infant, Young Child and Adolescent Nutrition (MIYCAN) Focal Point, Ministry of Health, Laura Ahumuza Turinawe expressed anticipation over the new facility, saying it was encouraging to see an institution such as KCCA create a dedicated space for breastfeeding mothers.
Turinawe said workplaces have an important role to play in supporting mothers to continue breastfeeding while pursuing their careers.
Representing GAIN, Musa Mutyaba said partnerships with institutions such as KCCA are important in making breastfeeding support a reality for working mothers.
Mutyaba said GAIN's goal is to give working mothers a conducive environment in which they can breastfeed their children while maintaining their productivity and good nutrition.
Different beneficiaries at the event said that breastfeeding corners help mothers continue breastfeeding after returning to work or other activities, support exclusive breastfeeding where possible, protect mothers' privacy and dignity, and contribute to better infant and maternal health.