Da Nang, May 31st, 2024
Recently, Rotary Club of Da Nang, a member of Rotary International, held a ceremony to donate medical equipment to the Breast Milk Bank at Da Nang Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. Breastfeeding is the foundation of nutrition, health, and survival for both mothers and infants, helping to reduce the risk of acute and chronic diseases in both. Beyond its nutritional value, breastfeeding also significantly contributes to societal development, providing an economic value equivalent to nearly 4 trillion dollars annually worldwide.
“Breastfeeding is the most important solution for preventing disease and mortality among women and children. For women, it is estimated that breastfeeding can prevent over 22,000 cases of breast cancer deaths annually if the mother breastfeeds for up to 24 months. Additionally, the risk of ovarian cancer can be reduced by 2% for each month of breastfeeding. Scientific evidence also shows a link between breastfeeding duration and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, with each year of breastfeeding helping to reduce the risk by 4-12%. The longer the duration of breastfeeding, the lower the risk of cardiovascular disease; women who breastfeed for more than 2 years have a 20% lower incidence of coronary artery disease compared to those who never breastfed. Breastfeeding also offers numerous benefits to women, such as preventing osteoporosis, metabolic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
For infants, breastfeeding within the first hour of life can reduce neonatal mortality by 22%. Infants who are not breastfed for the first 6 months are 14 times more likely to die compared to those who are exclusively breastfed, and children aged 12-24 months who are not breastfed have twice the risk of mortality. Breastfeeding helps reduce infections such as pneumonia and diarrhea, lowers the risk of diabetes, reduces overweight and obesity, and prevents early puberty compared to formula-fed infants. Scientific evidence also shows that breastfed children have a lower risk of certain cancers, such as leukemia and neuroblastoma. Notably, breastfed children have higher IQs and, as adults, tend to have higher income and social effectiveness.” emphasized Associate Professor Dr. Tran Thi Hoang, Deputy Director of the Hospital, during the ceremony.
Ms. Le Thu Hanh, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Foreign Affairs, shared: “We are very pleased to connect international support resources to Da Nang, especially for this meaningful project, which aims to improve the health of mothers and children in general, and disadvantaged children in particular.”
Mr. Chris Vanloon, President of Rotary Da Nang, shared: “This project is of high humanitarian significance and has a tremendous impact on society. We could not achieve these meaningful results alone; it requires the dedicated cooperation of leaders from various departments and hospitals. We sincerely thank our partners for facilitating our participation in this wonderful journey aimed at promoting and raising community awareness about the importance of breastfeeding for the health of mothers and children.”
About Rotary Club of Da Nang
The Rotary Club of Da Nang is a member of Rotary International. In alignment with Rotary International’s primary mission, Rotary Da Nang focuses on the areas of Environment, Community Economic Development, Vocational Training, Maternal and Child Health, and Clean Water & Sanitation in rural areas. The mission of Rotary Da Nang is to establish and continually expand a gathering space that connects individuals who are both passionate and skilled, to share ideas and take collective action to create a long-lasting, sustainable impact on the community, humanity, the global economy, and a sustainable planet.