Implementing Two National Responsibilities of the Revised UNICEF/WHO Baby‐Friendly Hospital Initiative: A Two‐Country Case Study

The 2018 implementation guidance for the Baby‐Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)recommends institutionalising the ten steps through nine national responsibilities for universal coverage and sustainability. As countries adapt BFHI programmes to this paradigm shift away from traditional designation programmes, documenting and sharing policy and programme experience are critical and currently sparse. This qualitative case study included desk reviews of published and grey literature on BFHI programming, national plans and policy documents specific to the selected national responsibilities for universal coverage and key informant interviews across a range of actors. In the Kyrgyz Republic, the case study explored responsibility, development and implementation of incentives and/or sanctions, and responsibility in Malawi, providing technical assistance. In both countries, the three sustainability responsibilities (national monitoring communication and advocacy and financing) as they relate to the universal coverage of the target responsibilities were also explored.