An NGO, Save the Children International, has called for increased support for mothers as well as awareness campaign for optimal exclusive breastfeeding practice in Nigeria.
The National Daily reports that the World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration which is held every year from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 in more than 120 countries.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Kunle Olawowin, the NGO’s Media and Communication Manager in Dutse.
The NGO said exclusive breastfeeding is the best source of nourishment for infants and young children and a proven lifesaving strategy that helps protect children against several common childhood illnesses, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia
“Breastfeeding saves lives. It is one of the cost-effective intervention for the prevention of deaths in children under five years old.
“Colostrum, the first milk a mother produces, is the most potent natural immune system booster known to science; lactating mothers are encouraged to give it to their babies immediately after delivery.
“The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, (starting from conception to age two) is very important for optimal physical, mental and cognitive growth, health and development; breastfeeding is the first and significant step in ensuring the cognitive development of children,” the NGO said.
The NGO explained that the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent related World Health Assembly Resolutions recommended that, marketing should be guided to ensure breastfeeding of infants and young children is not discouraged and the standards and recommendations for breastfeeding should be upheld.
The NGO urged for the implementation of policies that promote, protect and support exclusive breastfeeding and optimal breastfeeding practices, which is key to improved child survival, development, and contributes to Nigeria’s attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The World Breastfeeding Week, it said, is aimed to highlight the huge benefits that breastfeeding can bring to both the health and welfare of babies, as well as a wider push for maternal health, focusing on good nutrition, poverty reduction and food security.
“The annual celebration of the World Breastfeeding Week aims at increasing awareness on the health and wellbeing outcomes of breastfeeding on infants, young children, mothers, families and the society at large.
“The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Protect Breastfeeding, A Shared Responsibility’ with the slogan for Nigeria, “Join Hands! Support Exclusive Breastfeeding”.
“This brings another opportunity for the collaboration of various stakeholders and interest group including fathers, religious leaders/traditional rulers and private sector to contribute to improving Nigeria’s Exclusive Breastfeeding rates in the country.
“We are advocating for governments at all levels to create enabling environments for lactating mothers by building crèches in workplaces and implementing policies that will support exclusive breastfeeding for six months” Shannon Ward, Ag Country Director of the NGO in Nigeria said.
Also Dr Adaeze Oramalu-Ogwuche, the acting Head of Health and Nutrition, Save the Children International Nigeria, said, breastfeeding week is one of the greatest outreach vehicles for the promotion of optimal Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices to other network of fathers, religious/traditional rulers, institutions and Private sector.
This, Oramalu-Ogwuche said, would contribute to the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Nigeria.
The National Daily reports that Save the Children has been working in Nigeria since 2001 and is currently present in 12 States of the Federation,” the communication manager said.