KATHMANDU: The Department of Health Services has directed private hospitals and clinics across Nepal to establish dedicated breastfeeding rooms in line with the Breastfeeding Room Establishment and Operation Guidelines.
In a circular issued through the Family Welfare Division in Teku, the department urged private health institutions to create a supportive environment that enables breastfeeding mothers to nurse their infants comfortably in healthcare facilities, workplaces, public spaces, and during emergencies.
The department said all private hospitals and clinics must establish and operate breastfeeding rooms in accordance with the guidelines, expressing confidence that the measure will strengthen the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding.
The circular states that healthcare institutions should ensure privacy and convenience for breastfeeding mothers within their premises. It also emphasizes that breastfeeding plays a vital role in children’s healthy growth and maternal health, and should therefore be treated as a priority by health institutions.
The directive, signed by Dr. Madan Kumar Upadhyay, Director at the Department of Health Services, calls on all private health facilities to fully comply with the Breastfeeding Room Establishment and Operation Guidelines, 2080.
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