I am not particularly good at discernment and my emotions and point of view can easily allow me to miss something important.
When I saw the video linked just below, I nearly posted it, but something didn’t seem quite right. Fortunately, I am married to a medical information researcher. So I asked her to respond.
Watch this video and then read what Patty had to say about it.
Patty’s comments:
I understand the concern for the use of baby formula. Breast feeding is the preferred method of providing nutrition and nurture to an infant. However, when circumstances such as an HIV infected mother, the mother is an adolescent, the mother is malnourished, or has other serious disease(s) effecting her health, breast feeding between that mother and her infant are not recommended. Please review the WHO website on the topic.
The real challenge here is the need for pure water sources in developing countries that are free from infectious material and chemicals. In addition, providing adequate nutrition to lactating mothers so that they can provide breast milk to their own infants, when their health allows (HIV infected women are not encouraged to breast feed) should be a priority.
The pictures in the video are disturbing, but seriously, could one of these under nourished mothers provide nutritious breast milk to her infant? The problem is not the content of the formula being provided, it is the water used to dilute the formula. The problem lies with each country’s government’s responsibility to provide the basics for its populace. We know that because of human inadequacies, this isn’t happening. Why are we blaming a company, any company that is trying to do what it can to assist in theses areas? Perhaps, instead of pointing fingers, we should ask what we can do to assist with the root problem, governments not getting food to the people who need it most and not putting public health, including sanitary water systems, as a priority instead of profiting from their own citizens misery.
To say a company is evil that is doing SOMETHING about the lack of proper nutrition to these infants is ignoring the real issues.
Here is an interesting and timely video.
I could have easily posted the video myself. The point is to try to verify our information, to look at things from a broader perspective, and to ask some questions.
Glenn and Wife–
I posted a response on my website, but then popped over to yours and realized you had posted something about the video, so I wanted to respond here as well
I’m well aware of the struggle with clean water, nutrition, AIDS etc in underdeveloped countries. However, Nestle continues to violate the
The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, which was developed by WHO. Nestle has been violating this code for 20 years and continues to do so. This isn’t about a formula company doing what’s best for mothers with HIV or lack of access to food. You can read some FAQs about thee code here
By: jamie on April 15, 2007
at 5:18 pm
Hey guys,
I posted a response to your response
Jamie
By: jamie on April 15, 2007
at 5:49 pm
I’m struggling here about whether I should post anything. Thing is, I can’t watch the movie, because I’m on a University computer, without sound or anything, so I guess I can’t say anything, but on the other hand, I’m pretty sure from what I’ve read that I have a pretty good idea what it’s about, and as an African, I think I should give a few thoughts.
The problem with baby formula in Africa is that mothers are convinced by the “wise westerners” that this is actually BETTER than breast feading. But it is utterly impossible for people in rural areas of Africa to use baby formula in a way that is hiegenical.
According to this article from REC focus the problem isn’t mothers with HIV breatfeeding children, but mothers with HIV not exclucively breastfeeding children. But you can read is.
Well, sorry if I completely missed the point here, but this is something of my African perspective.
By: cobus on April 16, 2007
at 2:52 am
O yeah, it’s under point 5 of that article
By: cobus on April 16, 2007
at 2:53 am
Jamie..
I had a hard time posting on your blog which is why my two comments there are repetitive. So, I will use this comment to repond to what you wrote in your subsequent post , as well, as here.
Again, I applaud your concern for “the least of these.” We must speak up for them!
I do not doubt Nestle’s violation of the international marketing code. Corporations must remain profitable, but do not have to do so at the expense of others and certainly, should not be involved in activities that lead to poor health or even death. As I think about that statement, every fast food chain, liqueur company, candy company, and soda manufacturer is involved in promoting their unhealthily, and in some cases, potentially deadly product. I am not saying this is right, but it is a part of a capitalistic market economy.
The video was misleading and over-simplified a complex problem. It ignores the greater issues involved, including clean water, disease and malnourished mothers who are unable to adequately breast feed and put the blame for these deaths solely on the “greedy corporation” when that is only a part of the problem. I don’t doubt their greediness, but wonder why they would aggressively market the formula to people who can’t afford to buy it. I also wonder if this isn’t a greater issue with the less severely poor who would try to find a way to buy it, rather than those who are totally destitute and can not afford it all. I wonder, too if breast feeding were promoted for the mothers of those children depicted in the video, how the mortality rate would be affected.
I have an issue with easy answers that are not really easy.
P.S. I read your blog and you have had some great posts. I have no desire to get into an on-going battle of some sort with you, though I don’t mind dialogging over these issues. We may need to decide to be friends who disagree on somethings.
By: Glenn on April 16, 2007
at 12:02 pm
Cobus…
I addressed some of the related issues in the above comment. Greedy corporations will always try to sell as much product as they can, often without concern for the consequences. It’s sad, but true.
It’s too bad that these corporations, our entertainment industry, and our military might are the primary “windows” through which those of other nations see America. I certainly see how that influence can cause some to hate America. There is a lot more to us than that! Thankfully!
By: Glenn on April 16, 2007
at 12:10 pm
my referal to “wise westerners” was not a simple reference to America. I’m a westerner as well, although I try to be a voice for the people of Africa, and my history are just as full, if not more, of how we mistreated the black people of Africa.
My experience of Africa cause me to tend to differ from your opinion that they are marketing these products to people that cannot buy them. Understanding the way the poor in Africa use their money isn’t that simple. They get little, less than $2 per day, millions less than $1 per day. But they pay no insurance, medical aid, tax, spend nothing or very little on housing (since they stay in shacks). In the end they spend money on food, and have a mojor problem once they have a medical bill to pay, or a funeral to fund. I can really believe that if they get convinced that their kids will be more healthy when drinking baby formula that mothers milk, they will spend their money on that, on go hungry themselves. Is that so different from us? Won’t we go hungry for our children as well?
By: cobus on April 17, 2007
at 3:15 pm
Cobus…
Thank you for your insight into a culture far removed from my own.
Unfortunately, it seems like it is always the poor who are further victimized.
By: Glenn on April 17, 2007
at 3:27 pm
Pleasure. I’m just a messenger trying to be a voice for the voiceless, and these people desperately need a voice!
By: cobus on April 18, 2007
at 4:42 am