Greater Accra Regional Hospital Advocates for Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplaces and Enhanced Support Systems

The Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH), popularly known as Ridge Hospital, has joined the global community in celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, with a resounding call for stronger institutional and social support for nursing mothers. Under this year’s theme, "Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works," the hospital emphasized that breastfeeding is not merely a maternal responsibility but a collective social obligation. Medical Director Dr. Leslie Issa-Adam Zachariah highlighted the critical need for creating environments that facilitate exclusive breastfeeding, which remains a cornerstone for child health and development in Ghana.

A central focus of the celebration was the advocacy for breastfeeding-friendly workplaces. Dr. Zachariah pointed out that many nursing mothers face significant hurdles when returning to work, often leading to the premature cessation of exclusive breastfeeding. The hospital called on employers to provide dedicated spaces and flexible schedules that allow mothers to express milk or breastfeed during work hours. By recognizing and rewarding mothers who successfully practiced exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended six months, the hospital aimed to showcase achievable models of success despite modern professional pressures.

Beyond institutional support, the event addressed the socio-cultural challenges that hinder breastfeeding success, including inadequate support from partners and conflicting advice from community members. Health officials at the hospital underscored the vital role that families and community leaders play in reinforcing positive breastfeeding practices and filtering out myths. To address these gaps, the hospital committed to continuous public education efforts aimed at debunking misconceptions and providing mothers with the evidence-based guidance they need for their infants' nutritional health.

As World Breastfeeding Week concludes, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital maintains that sustaining these efforts is essential for reducing neonatal mortality and improving long-term health outcomes. The call to action remains clear: for Ghana to achieve its public health goals, there must be a concerted effort from the government, private sector, and local communities to protect and support the rights of nursing mothers. This integrated approach is seen as the only viable path toward ensuring every Ghanaian child receives the best possible start in life through the benefits of breast milk.