Every newborn, when placed on the mother's abdomen, soon after birth, has the ability to find its mother's breast all on its own and to decide when to take the first breastfeed.
“What if governments had a proven, cost-effective way to save babies’ lives, reduce rates of malnutrition, support children’s health, increase educational attainment and grow productivity?
They do: It’s called breastfeeding. And it is one of the best investments nations can make in the lives and futures of their youngest members – and in the long-term strength of their societies.”
Launch of Medical and Health Internet-in-a-Box - South Asia Edition
Collaborating with Wiki Project Med Foundation and HealthPhone, Internet-in-a-Box has developed an offline distribution system for medical and healthcare content geared specifically to South Asia.
The Internet-in-a-Box (IIAB) device is a complete single-board computer with an in-built Wi-Fi hotspot that allows for easy distribution of information in places where access to the Internet is limited, controlled, not affordable or simply unavailable. Within a range of 50 to 100 meters, up to 32 people can connect to the device with a mobile phone or computer to access and download its content, free of any cost. It also functions as a mini app store in that those connected to it can download and install a number of offline apps. IIAB does not offer a connection to the Internet or to content beyond that stored in the Box itself.
The 32 Gb microSD card (included contains: Over 1,000 HealthPhone healthcare & nutrition videos across 22 Indian languages, 47 HealthPhone mobile apps across 18 Indian languages, All of Wikipedia Medical Encyclopaedia in English and Farsi, Full Wikipedia in 23 Indian Languages, The Global Emergency Medicine Wiki, and Children for Health’s 100 Health Messages in 5 Indian languages.
Medical and Health Internet-in-a-Box is available for the costs of the hardware, taxes and shipping (₹1,999. / US$30.).
We recently partnered with Mediaplanet UK on the 2017 Maternal Health campaign in The Guardian newspaper and online. Read motivating insight from thought leaders and learn more about what it takes collectively to reduce maternal mortality. #GlobalMaternalHealth#MaternalHealth
One of the most powerful relationships in global health and development is between a mother’s education and her child’s chances of survival. Simply put: “The more educated a mother, the less likely her child is to die. … Behind every preventable child death is a disempowered mother” says Leith Greenslade, Co-Chair of Child Health, MDG Health Alliance.
The apps address issues of status of women, the care of pregnant women and children under two, breastfeeding and the importance of a balanced diet, health and simple changes in nutritional care practices that can notably enhance nutrition levels.
They reinforce the following key messages:
Expecting mothers should get the correct diet and 25% more than usual.
Mother’s first milk is the best, do not throw it away, make sure the child gets it.
For the first 6 months the child should only be fed mother’s milk and nothing else.
When the child enters the 7th month, balance mother’s milk with a nutritious diet.
Food for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers
Feeding babies aged 0-6 months
Feeding young children aged over 6 months
Feeding school-age children and youth
Food and care for older people
Feeding sick people
Preventing and managing malnutrition
Once installed, all these apps work offline; they do not require a connection to a mobile network. All videos and files are included within the mobile app. Mobile apps developed in partnership with HealthPhone by The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Hyderabad, a research and development organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
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Laying the Foundation for Combating Malnutrition in India The importance of balanced nutrition and health
An initiative of HealthPhone™, conducted under the aegis of Indian Academy of Pediatrics, in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Child Development, UNICEF, Aamir Khan and with support from Vodafone.
It is the World's Largest Programme to Battle Malnutrition amongst Mothers and Children.
The objective of this nationwide campaign against malnutrition is to address issues of status of women, the care of pregnant mothers and children under two, breastfeeding and the importance of balanced nutrition and health. The focus is on women between 13 and 35 years of age and their family members.
The four Poshan videos are hosted on a dedicated WAP page iaphealthphone.org and accessible to all Vodafone India subscribers on their mobile phones.
Vodafone India subscribers can also give a missed call on 1 800 120 8989 (toll-free) to receive a link to the WAP page via SMS.
With a substantial development of research and findings for breastfeeding over the past three decades, we are now able to expand on the health benefits for both women and children across the globe. The two papers in this Series will describe past and current global trends of breastfeeding, its short and long-term health consequences for the mother and child, the impact of investment in breastfeeding, and the determinants of breastfeeding and the effectiveness of promotion interventions.
"Political commitment and investment in breastfeeding by governments, donors, employers and civil society is urgently needed to ensure the health of women and children and to shape a more sustainable future for all. UNICEF and the World Health Organization, in partnership with close to 20 organizations, are leading the charge to mobilize global action to raise political and financial investment to support breastfeeding. Together, we are working to remove barriers to breastfeeding and to give women the tools they need to make informed decisions to ensure their health and the health of their children for generations come." Werner Schultink, Chief of Nutrition at UNICEF
Watch More Breastfeeding Videos
Poshan | Nutrition Mobile Apps
The Lancet Breastfeeding Series