Breastfeeding Support and Protection During Natural Disaster and Climate-Related Emergencies in Indonesia: Policy...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Disaster Management
• Nutrition Policy

Background:

• Indonesia faces frequent disasters, necessitating robust emergency preparedness.
• International guidelines exist for infant and young child feeding in emergencies (IFE).
• The alignment of Indonesian policies with IFE guidelines remains under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and audit Indonesian policy regulations concerning infant and young child feeding during emergencies.
• To assess the extent to which these policies support and protect breastfeeding.

Main Methods:

• A grey literature search was conducted using Indonesian keywords for regulations and disasters.
• Policy documents were sourced from online databases and the Indonesian Breastfeeding Mothers Association (AIMI).
• Qualitative content analysis was performed using the IFE Operational Guidance (OG-IFE) framework.

Main Results:

• Out of 513 identified regulations, only four met the inclusion criteria for the audit.
• The majority of regulations (509) did not specifically address infant and young child feeding in emergencies.
• Existing policies that mentioned IFE lacked comprehensive planning for breastfeeding protection and support.

Conclusions:

• Indonesian policies may leave mothers and infants vulnerable during emergencies, increasing risks of morbidity and mortality.
• There is a significant need to improve disaster relief policies to meet international breastfeeding support standards.
• Recommendations include integrated regional planning, enhanced awareness among emergency workers, and adequate training to implement policies effectively.