Health and social assistance are universal rights. Viva Rio believes in a wider concept of healthcare and sees the management of public facilities as a way to ensure citizenship for all. With this purpose, Viva Rio got a certificate to operate as an unprofitable Social Health Organization, co-managing over 80 health units in partnership with City and State governments. All of them are part of the universal health care system and located in vulnerable areas.
August is the month of breastfeeding awareness, so our health clinics are preparing initiatives to celebrate and incentivize the practice to new moms from communities in the surroundings of the units. This will be the 5th edition of the so-called “Golden August”, when our health network and Rio’s Municipal Health Secretariat host an event that gathers moms and babies to breastfeed in public as a way to bring awareness.
Later this month, at Penha, in the North Zone of Rio, the event will also feature lectures, shantala massage for the babies, music and acting performances and gifts for the mothers. Two thousand people are expected to attend.
Among the powerful benefits of feeding only breast milk to a baby in its first 6 months are enhanced nutrition, increased antibodies and prevention of allergies, anemia and breathing conditions. In addition, breastfeeding until one hour after birth protects the baby and reduces infant mortality, according to the World Health Organization. For the mothers, breastfeeding decreases the incidence of cancer and osteoporosis.
See pictures of the last editions of the “Golden August”:
