General Hospital "Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš" Awarded "Baby-Friendly Hospital" Accreditation

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Zlatan is 16 months old and was born in the maternity ward of the General Hospital "Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš" and came with his mother Aida on Thursday to attend the ceremony for the awarding of the "Baby-Friendly Hospital" accreditation, which was awarded to the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics by the Agency for Quality and Accreditation in Healthcare of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AKAZ) after a successfully completed re-accreditation process.

- All staff are truly praiseworthy, we received excellent treatment at all times. The birth took a little longer, but what I remember 16 months later is the attention and quality treatment we received from the staff here, and that's why we came today to support them and congratulate them - says mother Sanja while Afan played with other children in the "VIP box" from which the youngest visitors of the ceremony followed the accreditation award. Also present were his peer Afan with mother Sanja, who says they also had excellent treatment in the maternity ward, as well as baby Dunja from Tuzla, who came with mother Nevena from the Initiative for the Promotion of Breastfeeding.

- I think breastfeeding is the most important and irreplaceable thing for a child, so I think initiatives like this, which among other things support breastfeeding, deserve support - says Dunja.

Prim.dr. Zlatko Kravić, director of the Public Institution General Hospital "Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš", said he was proud of the staff and thanked everyone for coming to celebrate the re-accreditation of "Baby-Friendly Hospital" together.

- Everything we have done in this hospital through our great efforts for all citizens would not have been possible without the great support of our founders, the KS Assembly, and the KS Ministry of Health and the KS Government, led by Minister Zilha Ademaj and Prime Minister Elmedin Konaković - said prim.dr. Kravić.

The Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Public Institution General Hospital "Prim.dr. Abdulah Nakaš" Sarajevo was among the first in BiH to receive the "Baby-Friendly Hospital" accreditation through a project that AKAZ started with UNICEF BiH in 2013. At the end of last year, external evaluators from AKAZ conducted an external assessment of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics for the purpose of re-accreditation, after which the temporary Management Board of the Agency for Quality and Accreditation in Healthcare in FBiH, after reviewing the reports of the external evaluators as well as the conclusions of the Certification and Accreditation Commission, awarded focused accreditation to this Department with 98.00% of the accreditation standards for "Baby-Friendly Hospitals" met.

The "Baby-Friendly Hospital" accreditation and "Q" quality stickers were presented to prim.dr. Kravić by the director of AKAZ, doc.dr. Ahmed Novo,

- I want to congratulate the staff and the director on their efforts and the deserved accreditation. The Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of this hospital was among the first in BiH to receive the "Baby-Friendly Hospital" accreditation through a project that AKAZ started with UNICEF in 2013, with whose help and recommendations we developed and wrote domestic standards for "baby-friendly hospital" accreditation - said doc.dr. Novo, reminding that AKAZ is also piloting Inclusive Standards for Persons with Disabilities (ISOSI) at the General Hospital, a healthcare institution that is preparing very intensively and with high quality for full accreditation.

KS Prime Minister Elmedin Konaković also addressed the attendees, speaking also as a parent whose first child was born precisely in this maternity ward:

- I was with my wife and witnessed the quality and warmth that this institution provides to everyone, from the birth itself, to advice on breastfeeding and everything that parents who have their first child need to know. In any case, you are friends of babies, but also friends of parents - said Konaković, who came to the accreditation ceremony from a Government session.

- We interrupted the session so that the ministers and I could come to support and witness this important event. This government demonstrates its commitment to increasing the quality of healthcare through a significant increase in the healthcare budget and an increase in the salaries of healthcare workers, and I can say that the staff of this hospital and other healthcare institutions have justified every mark invested - said Konaković.

KS Minister of Health Zilha Ademaj expressed satisfaction and joy, emphasizing that the awarding of the "Baby-Friendly Hospital" accreditation is a great recognition for the efforts of the Department's staff and the entire hospital.

- You are on the right path to having all departments accredited soon, you are introducing inclusive standards, and you have our full support in everything, as well as on the path of developing new departments and obtaining the status of Cantonal Hospital. I wish you perseverance in what you are doing - said Ademaj.

Dr. Mira Ademović from the Association for the Promotion of Breastfeeding also addressed the attendees, speaking about the very beginnings of the "Baby-Friendly Hospital" initiative more than 20 years ago:

- I want to congratulate AKAZ, which developed the standards in 2013 and took over these activities, which is working on it and I believe will continue to do so, as well as the General Hospital, which has been involved from the very beginning and which, with this re-accreditation, proves its commitment on that path - said Mira Ademović.

- Accreditation is a process that does not end, but continues and constantly improves the safety and quality of service. Breast milk has no alternative, and that is what we insist on here, among other things, and the promotion of breastfeeding is the focus of our work - emphasized pediatrician dr. Jasmina Šlaku.