KUCHING: The National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) has been holding a series of traditional postnatal healthcare workshops for women in Malaysia due to high demand within and outside the country.
According to LPPKN, the workshop named ‘MamaCare’ serves to equip participants with knowledge and skills on postnatal healthcare.
A practitioner in the peninsula can earn RM6,000 to RM11,000 a month for such service.
“Besides providing the necessary care for mothers after they give birth, this service can improve the standard of living among women in Malaysia,” said state Welfare Department director Noriah Ahmad at the presentation of certificates to 20 participants of MamaCare workshop at Penview Hotel recently.
Representing Welfare, Woman and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah at the event, Noriah said the workshop was part of the 1Malaysia Women Initiative and Self Empowerment (1MWISE) under the government’s 7th National Blue Ocean Strategy.
According to statistics from the National Registration Department, Malaysia recorded about 500,000 births in 2013, a reflection of the need for traditional postnatal care service.
The Health Ministry is promoting the integration of traditional and modern medicine for new mothers in line with World Health Organisation (WHO)’s launch of a similar strategy in 2002 to promote healthcare services.
“Within our community, traditional postnatal healthcare is seen as an effective method to avoid postnatal depression among new mothers. Malaysia records a very low 3.9 per cent incidence of postnatal depression among new mothers,” Noriah pointed out.
On the sideline, workshop participants were given tips on baby care, family planning, parenting and postnatal diets.
Proper postnatal healthcare would help women return to the workforce after their confinement. The government is projecting to have at least 55 per cent women in the nation’s workforce.
The workshop from Feb 14 to 17 targetting those from the low income household (LIH) and single mothers was run by LPPKN together with Persatuan Warisan Urutan Melayu Malaysia.
A similar workshop held in Batang Lupar last year saw 20 participants receiving MamaCare certificates.
State LPPKN director Rohaini Ahmad and Persatuan Warisan Urutan Melayu Malaysia president Syed Mahdi Barakbah also attended the presentation of certificates.