The IMS Act 1992: need for more amendments and publicity.
The IMS act was passed after a lot of thinking, discussions over pros and cons of childhood feeding practices and recommendations of WHA. We are not only legally bound by it, but it is also our moral responsibility to see that the act works. Already 9-10 years have passed but the results are not that encouraging. Most of our colleagues are unaware of the provisions and importance of this act. Making the law effective is very time consuming, costly, unaffordable and avoidable affair. We should not harp on multiplicity of legal opinions & loopholes to allow breaking the law in spirit if not in letter. We feel that most of our laws are paper tigers without any teeth, gathering dust by remaining present only in law books or journals. If we don't act now then there is every possibility that this act may also become one of the historical legal documents. Hence it is time for all of us to become an activist or counselor for BF. We should create awareness and public opinion about protection, promotion and support for BF. Be vigilant, form community watch group and report violations to the authorities. So that our country can become a proud nation of healthy, intelligent and emotionally stable children in the 21st century.
Tiwari
Satish Kamtaprasad
SK
BPNI Amravati Branch and MGIMS, Sewagram, Wardha, India. drtiwarisk@hotmail.com
Chaturvedi
Pushpa
P
D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007881:Legislation, Food