B.Com., Certified Mother Support Counsellor
20+ years
Ms. Sangita Vakhria is a Lactation Counsellor at the Department of Paediatrics, Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre.
After completing her B.Com. from the University of Mumbai in 1997, Ms. Vakharia became a Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI)-certified Mother Support Counsellor in December 1998. Ms. Vakharia is also a certified Infant & Young Child Nutrition (IYCN) Level 1 Trainer (since 2006) and has been a Lead Trainer since 2008. She is also a Certified Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) Assessor since 2009.
Ms. Vakharia has more than 5000 hours of experience in counselling, growth monitoring, immunisation, new-born care, ORS, and administering primary care during common illnesses. She has worked as a Programme Manager at the BPNI Maharashtra office and as a Trainer with UNICEF, conducting multiple workshops for doctors, nurses, and health workers from both government and non-government sectors under the ‘Hirkani IYCN Initiative’ across eight districts in Maharashtra. Ms. Vakharia was a Special Editorial Assistant for the 2nd edition of the Level 1 IYCN English Module for UNICEF Maharashtra.