It has been stressed that engaging in artificial feeding of infants instead of breastfeeding is injurious with so many health risks to the growth, development and survival of the child in its first 1,000 days of life.
The assertion was made by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nutrition Specialist, Philomena Irene while speaking at a media dialogue in Bauchi state, to mark the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week, with the theme ‘Enabling breast-feeding: Making a Difference for Working Parents’.
The media dialogue drew Journalists, partners, and stakeholders from the North-East States of Adamawa, Bauchi Gombe, Taraba as well as Plateau and the FCT, and was facilitated by the Bauchi Field Office of the UNICEF.
Irene, therefore, called on women to rather embrace exclusive breastfeeding which is “vital to a more sustainable world as the only way out to guarantee the safety and survival of a child in his first six months.”
According to her, breastmilk contains all the ideal nutrients for infant growth and the antibodies that help a baby fight viruses, bacteria, and all forms of infections including childhood obesity, diabetes, and increases their intelligence among many other benefits.
She further noted that breast-fed children have at least six times greater chances of survival in the early months than un-breast-fed children, stressing that “exclusive breast-fed children are 14 times less likely to die in the first six months than those not breast-fed.”
The specialist added that 13 percent of child deaths could be averted if 90 per cent of mothers exclusively breast-feed their infants for the first six months of life.
She then advocated for Increase funding to scale up interventions in order to raise breastfeeding rates whil6 Government and partners at all levels should Enact paid maternity leave and breastfeeding breaks & crèches) including in the private/informal sector.
Irene also called on the government at all levels to fully implement the ‘International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes’ and relevant WHO Assembly resolutions through strong measures that are enforced and independently monitored.
Furthermore, she said NAFDAC, MOH/PHCDA/Partners should implement the ten steps to successful breastfeeding in all maternity facilities, (public and private HF).
The MOH/PHCDA/Partners should improve access to skilled breastfeeding counseling as part of comprehensive breastfeeding policies and programs in health facilities.
MOH/PHCDA/Partner should strengthen links between health facilities and communities, and encourage community networks that protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.
MOH/PHCDA /Communities should strengthen monitoring systems that track the progress of policies, programs, and funding toward achieving breastfeeding targets.
She stressed that Breastfeeding benefits individual children, families, and the entire economy stating that Every N1 invested in breastfeeding can generate as much as N35 in economic returns.
She concluded by stating that breastfeeding is one of the smartest investments to save lives, improve the health and development of individuals boost human capital, stimulate economic growth, and give every child the same opportunity to thrive.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then