Golden August Action Brings Health and Breastfeeding Support to the Peace Factories of Cabanagem and Terra Firme
Communities received free services, educational lectures, and reinforcement on the importance of breast milk for children's future
The State Department of Public Health (Sespa) promoted a large action on the morning of this Saturday (30) at the Peace Factories of Cabanagem and Terra Firme in Belém. The program brought together hundreds of residents, mainly mothers, babies, children, and their families, who had access to free services and guidance on care and prevention.
The coordinator of the action at the Cabanagem Factory, Adriano Freitas, highlighted the relevance of the initiative. “The importance is to bring health benefits mainly, but not exclusively, to the women here in the Cabanagem neighborhood. The action is also happening simultaneously in Terra Firme, and the expectation is to serve between 200 and 300 people throughout the morning,” he stated.
Exams - The services included medical and pediatric consultations, nursing screening, nutritional assessment, and vaccination, as well as rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C. Women were able to schedule mammograms and PCCU (cervical cancer screening), with referrals to polyclinics and hospitals, while men had access to check-ups with laboratory tests and electrocardiograms.
Self-employed Daiana Cristina da Costa, mother of three autistic children, took the opportunity. “I came here looking for treatment for my daughter because she needs follow-up due to a disorder. The doctor requested a tomography and an encephalogram, and I took the chance to consult since I’m here. The service is smooth. I thank God for this action here at the Factory. We are well attended, well guided, and for me, it is very gratifying to know that there is someone looking out for us, taking care of our health,” she reported.
Vaccination - Educational lectures on breastfeeding were also held, highlighting the family's role in supporting mothers, and updating the vaccination records of adults and children, with the application of adult double vaccine, hepatitis B, HPV, and triple viral vaccines.
For nutritionist Mylenna Silva, from the State Coordination of Child Health, the action reinforces the care network for families. “Today, we are conducting an action aimed at mothers, babies, children, and their families, in homage to 'Golden August', a month in which we further encourage the promotion of breastfeeding. Here we have consultations, vaccinations, nutritional assessments, women's health, men's health, oral health, rapid tests, and referrals. It is a completely targeted initiative for this audience in the Cabanagem territory, but it is also happening simultaneously in Terra Firme, expanding access to health for more communities,” she explained.
The initiative is part of the programming for "Golden August", a campaign this year themed “In the current of life, breast milk is root, river, and future.” The movement reinforces breast milk as an irreplaceable food for the healthy development of children, and that it is necessary to "Prioritize breastfeeding by building sustainable support systems for it to happen." The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, a practice that can reduce child mortality in children under 5 years of age from preventable causes by up to 13%.
Self-employed Seliane Pinheiro da Silva, who sought nutritional care for her daughter, reported that the girl “is ten years old and is a bit overweight. I came to find out how to improve her diet. I was very well guided and already left with a referral. Here I am very well attended, as always. The Peace Factory is my third home. I also took the opportunity to seek guidance on breastfeeding because I was a breast milk donor for almost 11 months, and I know how much this donation helps save the lives of babies in need,” she said.
Housewife Regina Labareda also approved the initiative, highlighting the care received by her and her daughter. “I came for a mammogram, but I didn’t go because I’m not yet of age for the service. I ended up getting a slot for the clinical, was attended by the nutritionist, who talked a lot with me, and also saw the dentist. My daughter, who has ADHD and is quite shy, was attended to with a lot of patience. She accepted the recommendations, learned to brush her teeth, to use dental floss, and that made me very happy. We are managing to participate and take advantage of all the benefits of the action happening here at the Factory,” said Regina.
In addition to the services, glass jars with screw-on plastic lids were collected, used to store donated human milk for Milk Banks. This simple gesture helps save the lives of premature babies hospitalized in neonatal units.
The program was carried out by Sespa, through the Health Program for All Pará, in partnership with the Strategic Secretariat for Citizen Articulation (Seac), Santa Casa de Misericórdia do Pará, Military Fire Brigade, Municipal Health Secretariat of Belém (Sesma), and institutions that are part of the State Committee for Breastfeeding and Human Milk Banks (Ceam/BLH).
On Sunday (31), a program at Praça da República will conclude the campaign with the same services offered at the two Peace Factories, in addition to performances by the Santa Casa choir and the Arraial do Pavulagem.
