The Thirty-ninth World Health Assembly,
Recalling resolutions WHA27.43, WHA31.47, WHA33.32, WHA34.22, WHA35.26 and
WHA37.30 which dealt with infant and young child feeding;
Having considered the progress and evaluation report by the Director-General
on infant and young child nutrition;(1)
Recognizing that the implementation of the International Code of Marketing of
Breastmilk Substitutes is an important contribution to healthy infant and young
child feeding in all countries;
Aware that today, five years after the adoption of the International Code,
many Member States have made substantial efforts to implement it, but that many
products unsuitable for infant feeding are nonetheless being promoted and used
for this purpose; and that sustained and concerted efforts will therefore
continue to be necessary to achieve full implementation of and compliance with
the International Code as well as the cessation of the marketing of unsuitable
products and the improper promotion of breastmilk substitutes;
Noting with great satisfaction the guidelines concerning the main health and
socioeconomic circumstances in which infants have to be fed on breastmilk
substitutes,(2) in the
context of Article 6, paragraph 6, of the International Code;
Noting further the statement in the guidelines, paragraph 47: "Since the
large majority of infants born in maternity wards and hospitals are full
term, they require no nourishment other than colostrum during their first
24-48 hours of life - the amount of time often spent by a mother and her
infant in such an institutional setting. Only small quantities of breastmilk
substitutes are ordinarily required to meet the needs of a minority of infants
in these facilities, and they should only be available in ways that do not
interfere with the protection and promotion of breastfeeding for the majority";
1. ENDORSES the report of the Director-General;(1)
2. URGES Member States:
(1) to implement the Code if they have not yet done so;
(2) to ensure that the practices and procedures of their health care
systems are consistent with the principles and aim of the International Code;
(3) to make the fullest use of all concerned parties - health
professional bodies, nongovernmental organizations, consumer organizations,
manufacturers and distributors - generally, in protecting and promoting
breastfeeding and, specifically, in implementing the Code and monitoring
its implementation and compliance with its provisions;
(4) to seek the cooperation of manufacturers and distributors of products
within the scope of Article 2 of the Code, in providing all information
considered necessary for monitoring the implementation of the Code;
(5) to provide the Director-General with complete and detailed information
on the implementation of the Code;
(6) to ensure that the small amounts of breastmilk substitutes needed for
the minority of infants who require them in maternity wards are made
available through the normal procurement channels and not through free or
subsidized supplies;
3. REQUESTS the Director-General:
(1) to propose a simplified and standardized form for use by Member States
to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation by them of their implementation of
the Code and reporting thereon to WHO, as well as the preparation by WHO of a
consolidated report covering each of the articles of the Code;
(2) to specifically direct the attention of Member States and other
interested parties to the following:
(a) any food or drink given before complementary feeding is
nutritionally required may interfere with the initiation or maintenance
of breastfeeding and therefore should neither be promoted nor encouraged
for use by infants during this period;
(b) the practice being introduced in some countries of providing infants
with specially formulated milks (so-called "follow-up milks") is not
necessary.
16 May 1986
(1) Document WHA39/1986/REC/1, or Document
A39/8
