IMPLEMENTING IYCF COUNSELING CENTERS IN BIHAR
Bihar is greatly challenged by a low rate of recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. Poor breastfeeding practices alone lead to 800,000 child deaths each year in Bihar— almost 12 percent of all child deaths in the state.
In response to this situation, in May 2014, UNICEF in partnership with the Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College & Hospital and the Civil Surgeon office began establishing IYCF counseling centers at the college and in 21 blocks of Gaya district, which was one of the poorest performing districts in terms of IYCF practices. The objective of the centers was to help all mothers achieve the skills and knowledge required to maintain optimal IYCF practices with a focus on complementary feeding.