AXA Mansard mobilise experts on benefits of breast feeding to mark global week

AXA Mansard, a member of AXA, the global leader in insurance and asset management joined in the observance of the just concluded World Breastfeeding Week.

World Breastfeeding Week is observed in more than 120 countries around the world between August 1 and 7 every year to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. To commemorate World Breastfeeding Week 2019, the company held a breakfast session/ masterclass for woman at its head office in Lagos.

The event served as an avenue for the company to meet with various women from different works of life, engage them and educate them about breastfeeding. Topics covered include ‘Health benefits of breastfeeding’, ‘Making lactation easier’, ‘How health insurance can benefit mother and baby’ amongst others.

Speakers at the event included Motunrayo Oyemade, founder of popular Instagram platform – Wives and Mothers); Chinny Obinwanne, lactation consultant and founder of popular Instagram platforms, The Breastfeeding Doctor and Milk Booster, who was represented by Ifunnanya Obinwanne, a breastfeeding advocate; Omowunmi Adewusi, HR director and company Secretary at AXA Mansard; Olatokunbo Otitoju, group head of Retail Business at AXA Mansard Health Limited and Aanu Soyoye, head of underwriting, Pricing & Enrolment at AXA Mansard Health.

‘The importance of breastfeeding cannot be over emphasised seeing as it not only has various benefits for a baby, it also contributes to the wellbeing of the mother’ said Tope Adeniyi, the CEO of AXA Mansard Health Limited.

‘Breast milk is the ideal food for babies. It contains all the necessary nutrients for a baby’s healthy growth, contains antibodies that help protect babies against illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhoea and it is linked to the prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS); it is also readily available and cost effective.’

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), only 40 percent of infants under six months are exclusively breastfed worldwide. About 820, 000 child lives would be saved every year if breastfeeding were scaled up to universal levels. In developing countries, an exclusively breastfed baby is 14 times less likely to die in the first six months than a non-breastfed child. Non-breastfed babies have a 10 times greater risk of death from diarrhoea, and 15 times greater risk of death from pneumonia compared to infants who are exclusively breastfed.

Adeniyi concluded that ‘In line with 2019’s theme for World Breastfeeding Week – ‘Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding’, it is important for all parents to be included in the process of breastfeeding and be informed on what to do to make it a great journey. We should all work together to create enabling environments everywhere for breastfeeding to happen naturally and optimally. At AXA Mansard, we will continue to be at the forefront of making the world a healthier place’.

 

Modestus Anaesoronye