A doctor examines a fragile baby Thursday in the city of Jieshou, under Fuyang of East China's Anhui Province. China will tighten its control over the promotion and marketing of breastmilk substitutes, an issue blamed for the decreasing rate of breast-feeding and a threat to healthy nursing for the country's next generation. 

China will tighten its control over the promotion and marketing of breastmilk substitutes, an issue blamed for the decreasing rate of breast-feeding and a threat to healthy nursing for the country's next generation.

Government agencies have pledged to intensify supervision over such marketing and will stiffen China's rules governing substitutes, including powdered milk for infants.

That was the consensus reached Thursday during a one-day workshop on implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.

The World Health Assembly adopted the international code in 1981 and China issued a set of national rules in 1995 in line with it.

The workshop was attended by Chinese officials and experts from the health, quality-control, and commerce agencies, and the food and drug administration, along with representatives from WHO, UNICEF and a leading overseas NGO.

Eight years ago, 76 per cent of Chinese babies were fed exclusively on breast milk during their first four months of life. The percentage is only 64 per cent today due to unregulated promotion and marketing of breastmilk substitutes.

The rate is much lower than the targeted breast-feeding levels set by the government in its "Outline Plan for Chinese Children's Development, 2001-10."

The issue became urgent following a "killer" milk powder tragedy early this year, during which a dozen infants died of malnutrition with more than 100 others suffering from so-called "big head" malnutrition disease after being fed with fake infant formulas in Fuyang, in East China's Anhui Province.

So far this year, more than 180 local officials, mostly marketing watchdogs, have been investigated, punished or prosecuted for the incident.

Experts attributed the tragedy in Fuyang to irresponsible promotion and marketing of breastmilk substitutes and dereliction by local marketing watchdogs.

The international code bans all advertising and promotion of breastmilk substitutes. But it has been violated in China, according to a survey in six big cities, including Beijing and Guangzhou. It was conducted by health authorities, including UNICEF and the International Baby-Food Action Network (IBFAN).

Violations of the code can be found in many places including parts of China's 7,000 baby-friendly hospitals, according to the survey.

(China Daily  July 23, 2004)