We refer to the Sunday Times column, "When breastfeeding becomes a measure of inequity" (June 6).

As Singapore's largest academic medical centre specialising in women's and children's health, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) agrees with the writer that motherhood can be challenging and that mothers of all status should be supported.

We also recognise that women from lower-income families may have more challenges. Therefore, since 2014, the KKH-led Kids Integrated Development Service 0-3 (Kids 0-3) programme has been working with community partners to support pregnant women from lower-income families till their child turns three years old.

Part of the support involves imparting skills and knowledge on pregnancy health, pre-delivery preparation, breastfeeding, nutrition, care of a newborn, and child development.

In January last year, the Temasek Foundation Integrated Maternal and Child Wellness Hub programme was officially launched. Situated at SingHealth Polyclinics-Punggol (SHP-Punggol), it is Singapore's first community hub for child development and maternal health, and offers preventive care and early intervention services such as developmental screening, growth monitoring and nutrition advice for children, as well as breastfeeding support and post-natal depression screening.

Evidence shows that a focus on building healthy behaviours and preventive care from early pregnancy can go a long way in shaping the health outcomes for children and generations of families.

To date, this programme has reaped promising results. Many mothers who faced breastfeeding issues have received support from SHP-Punggol's nurses trained by KKH's lactation consultants. Breastfeeding and weaning resources are also available under the programme, benefiting about 1,500 families so far.

At SHP-Punggol, about 60 per cent of mothers were breastfeeding at six months after delivery. This is an improvement over the 41.6 per cent of mothers who were still breastfeeding at six months, a figure shown by the national breastfeeding survey conducted in 2011.

Support is a critical success factor in breastfeeding and can come from healthcare professionals, family members, employers and friends.

KKH and SHP will continue to support and improve the health outcomes of women and their families.

Chan Yoke Hwee (Associate Professor), Chairman, Division of Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital and

Director, Temasek Foundation Integrated Maternal and Child Wellness Hub