
05/08/2025
PRESS NOTE
AIMS Mohali Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week with BFHI Assessment and Stakeholder Conclave
Mohali, August 5, 2025 — Dr. BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Mohali, celebrated World Breastfeeding Week 2025 today with a vibrant and collaborative program featuring a stakeholder meeting on the theme “Unite for the Good” and a formal assessment by Dr. Rajinder Gulati for accreditation as a Breastfeeding-Friendly Hospital under the WHO/BPNI guidelines.
This year’s global themes — “Invest in Breastfeeding, Invest in the Future” (WHO) and “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems” (WABA) — were highlighted throughout the event. The program underscored the importance of sustainable, multisectoral approaches to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding from institutional to community levels.
Dr. Bhavneet Bharti, Director Principal and a Professor in Pediatrics, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the long-term health, economic, and societal benefits of breastfeeding. “A strong foundation through breastfeeding gives every child a healthy beginning and builds a healthier future for our communities,” she said.
A major highlight of the celebration was the ongoing partnership with Rotary Club Chandigarh, led by President Abha Sharma, in strengthening the Ashneer Milk Bank and Comprehensive Lactation Management Centre (CLMC) at AIMS Mohali. The Rotary Club is also pursuing a Global Grant to scale up community-level awareness, promote donor human milk collection, and establish a hub-and-spoke model for reaching underserved populations.
“Rotary is committed to ensuring that no newborn is denied the benefits of breastmilk. Our vision is to build a nurturing ecosystem through awareness, infrastructure, and action,” shared Abha Sharma.
The stakeholder meeting brought together key faculty members:
● Dr. Manvi and Dr. Jasmine led discussions on clinical lactation support
● Dr. Sushmita, Head of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, stressed antenatal counseling and postnatal continuity
● Dr. Amrit, Head of Community Medicine, focused on linking hospital and community-based services.
The event showcased the institution’s commitment to translating policy into practice by building sustainable support systems for breastfeeding, in line with WHO and WABA’s themes. The assessment by Dr. Gulati marked a significant milestone in AIMS Mohali’s journey toward becoming a designated Breastfeeding-Friendly Hospital, reinforcing its vision of giving every baby a healthy start and a healthier future.