Despite efforts made by both the state government and the United Nations Children’s Fund, not up to 30 percent of nursing mothers do breastfeeding, Okechukwu Ossai, the Enugu State director public health, has revealed.
Ossai, who was speaking in Enugu to mark the flag-off this years’ World Breastfeeding Week, emphasised that the worst was that not up to 15 percent of mothers today do exclusive breastfeeding because they do not want their breasts to sag.
He said that the interest of the state government was to sensitise and educate the nursing mothers both in rural and urban cities on the gains they will have in ensuring that they feed their new born baby with their mothers milk.
The director said that the state is in collaboration with some international donor agencies such as UNICEF because of the priority it attached to practice of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding of infants from the day of birth to six months.
He commended UNICEF for always supporting the state in all its child health programmes particularly in the areas of breastfeeding to ensure that the early childhood diseases are avoided among the children in the state.
In her contribution, Pauline Enenwali, the state’s Baby Friendly Initiative coordinator, said “Breastfeeding is the best way to give all children everywhere the healthiest start in life.”
According to her breast milk contains immunity which the mother transfers to the child which lasts for at least six months. It protects the child within that early childhood, moreover it contains all the essential elements that every child needs. These include vitamins like Vitamin A which is essential for the child to boast the immunity.
“It is very cheap, it is affordable and available. You don’t need to spend money to get it. So it has a lot of advantages over formula or artificial milk that women are going for and that is why we are advocating.”
She said that even a HIV-positive mother who has been placed on HIV drugs should also breast-feed her baby as long as she is taking her drugs. Every woman is free to use breast milk from day one to 6 months without giving the child water unless otherwise advised by a doctor due to a medical condition.
“Giving children the best start in life begins with breastfeeding. It is one of the simplest, smartest and most cost-effective ways we have of supporting healthier children, stronger families and sustainable growth. World Breastfeeding Week is an annual celebration marked from August 1-7 highlighting the critical importance of promoting the value of breastfeeding globally, nationally and at the community level,” Enenwali explained.
Regis Anukwuoji
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