Muscat – Oman is strengthening maternal and child healthcare with the formation of a national team to assess and monitor hospitals and primary healthcare centres under the Baby-Friendly Institutions programme.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Sunday began a five-day training workshop to establish the assessment team and standardise evaluation procedures across the country.

The programme is being organised by the National Centre for Women and Child Health, through the Child Health Department.

A ministry official said the team will periodically assess healthcare institutions to ensure compliance with approved standards and support their accreditation as ‘Baby-Friendly’ facilities.

“The workshop aims to establish a national assessment team for the Baby-Friendly Institutions programme in Oman and unify national efforts to improve the quality of maternal and child health services,” the official said.

The initiative follows standards adopted by the World Health Organization and Unicef and is intended to promote breastfeeding and appropriate infant and young child feeding practices.

Doctors, nurses and nutrition specialists are taking part in theoretical sessions, practical exercises and discussions focused on assessment methods and compliance monitoring.

The ministry expects the initiative to strengthen quality control and increase the number of accredited Baby-Friendly facilities across Oman.