St. George’s, Grenada, 6 May 2026 (PAHO/WHO) – The Grenada General Hospital received official recognition of its 2024 Baby-Friendly Hospital accreditation, an endorsement which verifies that hospital is practicing all 10 steps for successful breastfeeding and that babies born in Grenada receive several benefits derived from breastfeeding, including the long-term advantage of a reduced risk of childhood chronic illnesses and obesity.
The hospital first received accreditation in 2019 and on May 6 proudly hosted a ceremony to officially recognise the second accreditation, before an audience comprising Ministry of Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs and PAHO officials, and hospital staff.
In preparation for the second accreditation, from 20 to 23 November 2023, an external assessment of the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospitals Initiative (BFHI) at the Grenada General Hospital, indicated that the hospital met the Global Criteria related to five of the Ten Steps. It was therefore recommended that the hospital should be awarded a Certificate of Commitment for the progress towards the achievement of BFHI goals and that a plan of action be implemented for achieving full accreditation. A follow-up assessment from 4 to 7 November 2024 indicated that the hospital had met all Ten Steps.
Minister of Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs, The Hon. Phillip Telesford, deemed this second accreditation “a powerful affirmation of our collective commitment to giving every child the healthiest possible start to life.” He added that “equally, this designation ensures equity, where every baby regardless of his or her background, is given a healthy start in life and mothers are supported in their breast-feeding journey with, dignity, compassion and accurate information.”
Permanent Secretary in the Minister of Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs, Rhonda Jones, joined the Minister in thanking all those who made the achievement possible, with the reminder “we maintain these standards through consistency of practice.”
“The task ahead,” said the Permanent Secretary, “is to maintain gains, build our capacity, improve follow-up care, and be sure that the benefits extend beyond the hospital and into our communities.”
Delivering remarks on behalf of the PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries (ECC), Dr. Solange Kobi-Jackson, Advisor Community Health and Life Course for Primary Health Care, commended the leadership and staff of the Grenada General Hospital and reaffirmed the importance of the BFHI.
“The data is clear. Breastfeeding is one of the most cost‑effective public health interventions we have. It protects babies from infections, supports healthy growth and brain development, and reduces the risk of childhood obesity. For mothers, it lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. In other words, BFHI is not just a maternal and child health initiative — it is a powerful investment in the prevention of noncommunicable diseases across the life course.”
In 1989, the WHO and UNICEF published the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding which sought to increase awareness of the critical role that health services play in promoting and supporting breastfeeding. Based on the Ten Steps, BFHI, a global initiative of the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, was launched in 1991.
The BFHI awards health institutions the Global Designation of Baby-Friendly, based on a global assessment and accreditation scheme which includes criteria for operationalizing the key standards for achieving Ten Steps. Criteria for all Ten Steps must be met for the institution to be awarded the designation as a Baby-Friendly Hospital.
