Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign warns about serious health risks from contaminated artificial milk

Deadly side effects of formula validates Breastfeeding as a safer and healthier alternative

UAE, Sharjah, 09th September 2013: According to a recent announcement by the UAE Ministry of Health, urgent measures were taken to stop the circulation of certain brands of artificial formula after they were found to be contaminated by a bacteria that causes botulism - a deadly condition that could lead to paralysis in babies.

The warning has been sent to Bee'ah and stakeholders, the Ministry of Environment and Water, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, and the Department of Food and Health at Dubai Municipality. The problem has spread across the UAE's borders, as the Saudi Commission has discovered whey protein that is contaminated with the botulism-causing bacteria in artificial formula shipments.

Dr Hessa Khalfan Al Ghazal, Director of the Executive Committee for the Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign, issued a strong plea to all mothers to treat this as a life-and-death matter for their babies: “It is our duty to ensure the safety and well-being of our children, and situations like this are exactly what Sharjah Baby Friendly Campaign has been tirelessly advocating against. This contamination only re-enforces the risks of giving babies artificial formula, and is further motivation for mothers to exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months and continue breastfeeding with supplementary foods for two years, as recommended by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF.”

A thorough investigation is currently underway as UAE authorities attempt to ascertain the exact “Ground Zero” or source of the contamination.
As well Dr. Al Ghazal added that: “The campaign warns mothers to ensure the safety of their food and to beware of giving them foods may cause injury serious health complications, and highlights the importance of breastfeeding and carry health benefits to the health of mother and child alike. "

The World Health Organization strongly recommends that mothers who genuinely cannot breastfeed for various reasons should follow these precautions to prevent bacterial transmission: mothers should thoroughly clean and sterilize the feeding bottle, the surface area for preparation and their own hands. Only  drinking water boiled and cooled to not less than 70°C (kept half an hour after boiling) before adding the formula. The bottle should be cooled by holding it under running tap water. After making sure the milk is no longer too hot for the baby, feeding may then start. Anything that has not been consumed within two hours of preparation should be thrown away for the baby's safety.

Following this serious national concern, Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign is distributing educational pamphlets and posters to guide non-breastfeeding mothers in the “Safe Preparation of Artificial Milk”, to lessen the health risks associated with feeding children formula. The distribution will cover all health facilities, nurseries and workplaces that are registered with the campaign throughout the Emirate of Sharjah. 

The Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign was initiated in March 2012 under the generous patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Budoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and President of the Campaign. The campaign encompasses four initiatives: Breastfeeding-Friendly Nurseries, Mother and Baby-Friendly Public Places, Mother-Friendly Workplaces and Baby-Friendly Health Facilities. The campaign is sponsored by Sharjah Islamic Bank.