Over 250 Professionals Gather in Fuerteventura to Promote Breastfeeding

The Director General of Public Health for the Canary Islands Government, José Díaz‑Flores, and the Director General of Assistance Programs, Antonia María Pérez, inaugurated the 1st Canary Islands Breastfeeding Promotion Conference at the Insular Auditorium in Fuerteventura.

Event Overview

The meeting, held in Puerto del Rosario and running through Friday, brings together 250 health professionals from across the archipelago to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding as a cornerstone of health, sustainability, and social wellbeing.

The initiative coincides with European Breastfeeding Week and strengthens collaboration between Primary Care and Hospital teams of the Canary Health Service (SCS), aiming to consolidate a network of centers committed to the Initiative for the Humanization of Birth and Breastfeeding (IHAN).

Health Benefits

“Infant nutrition in the first days of life shapes health in the short and long term. Breastfeeding is the optimal food for newborns, providing the nutrients needed for growth and development, protecting them against infections, supporting neurodevelopment, and reducing the risk of adult diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions.” – José Díaz‑Flores

He added that for mothers, breastfeeding ilitates postpartum recovery, strengthens physical and emotional health, and lowers the risk of certain chronic diseases.

The SCS recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding on demand alongside appropriate complementary foods, in line with WHO guidelines and national and international pediatric societies.

Promoting breastfeeding is a strategic priority in the SCS’s Childhood Obesity Prevention Plan for children under twelve. The plan targets a 10 % increase in breastfeeding initiation at birth and a 5 % rise in continuation through six months. Concrete actions include fostering breastfeeding in all settings, especially municipal early‑childhood education centers and schools.

Environmental Sustainability

Antonia María Pérez highlighted that breastfeeding is an environmentally sustainable practice—a natural, renewable resource that generates no waste and reduces the ecological footprint associated with alternative infant feeding methods.

“For the community, it lowers health costs, strengthens family and social bonds, and promotes healthy, equitable practices.”

Pérez also noted that selecting Fuerteventura as the venue acknowledges the island’s Health Area, recently honored by the Ministry of Health for advances in humanizing care and improving maternal‑infant health, becoming the first island in the archipelago to achieve phase 4D of the IHAN‑UNICEF project across all its health centers.

“To keep breastfeeding strong over time, we must promote spaces like these conferences that provide sustained information, support, and community engagement, reinforcing systems that guarantee continuity.”

Program Content

The inaugural conference was delivered by Miriam Triana Junco, pediatrician at the Directorate General of Public Health, with the presentation “Roadmap for Promotion, Protection, and Support of Breastfeeding.”

The two‑day program features:

• Training workshops
• Debate tables
• Keynote lectures

Topics covered include:

• Breastfeeding in hospitalized infants
• Perinatal mental health
• Introduction of complementary feeding
• Breastfeeding as a public‑health preventive strategy
• Emotional wellbeing during the breastfeeding process
• The value of IHAN within the health system
• Challenges of dual insularity for non‑capital islands

The closing session will be led by Marieta Fernández, professor at the University of Granada, with the talk “Prioritizing Breastfeeding by Building Sustainable Support Systems.”

During the final ceremony, the “Fuerteventura Island IHAN” awards will honor professionals and entities committed to breastfeeding. Attendees will include:

• Dolores Alicia García, President of the Cabildo of Fuerteventura
• María Luisa Naranjo, Manager of Fuerteventura Health Services
• Rosa Gloria Suárez, President of UNICEF Canarias
• Salomé Laredo, President of IHAN

Commitment to the Future

The conference underscores the Canary Islands Health Department’s dedication—together with all eight islands—to maternal‑infant health, health equity, and environmental sustainability. By fostering breastfeeding‑friendly environments, the event aims to enable mothers, families, and professionals to move forward together within a framework of support, respect, and continuous accompaniment.