Health Ministry advocates support for successful breastfeeding

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has advocated support and encouragement for breastfeeding mothers to successfully breastfeed their babies.

The Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Patricia Deworitshe, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja, to precede the commemoration of the World Breastfeeding Week.

According to her, the World Breastfeeding Week held from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 is a yearly global campaign.

The campaign is instituted to raise awareness on the health and wellbeing outcomes of breastfeeding on infants, young children’s mothers, families and the society at large.

The global theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, is ‘Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding Support for All’.

The theme emphasises the collective responsibility of all, to ensure that every mother receives the support she needs to make breastfeeding a successful and fulfilling experience.

According to her, in order to successfully breastfeed their babies, mothers need support from the health system, family members, community members and workplace.

“This support is critical to the success of breastfeeding because knowledge sharing, encouragement, support with household chores, call-ups and creation of an enabling environment makes the act of breastfeeding easier for the mother.

“It is essential that no-one is left behind especially vulnerable mothers who may need additional assistance to reduce breastfeeding inequalities.

“Women in all settings need and deserve support to optimally breastfeed their babies,” she said.

Deworitshe said that the ministry also recommended early initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.

She said it also encouraged continued breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond, with the introduction of appropriate complementary food as from six months.

She said that the general public was being reminded that breastfeeding provided many unmatched proven health benefits for babies and mothers, as well as potential economic benefits for households and communities.

“Breastfed babies have stronger immunity, reduced risk of infections and many childhood illnesses.

“Breast Milk is the ideal food for infants; it is readily available, cheap, safe, clean and gives the first form of protection against many common childhood illnesses.

“It provides all the energy and nutrients that the child needs for the first six months of life.

“Breast Milk continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one third during the second year of life.

“It is no doubt that breastfeeding is important both to the mother and the child, a practice that all fathers, family members and society should support without fail,” she added.

Deworitshe said that the ministry in collaboration with its partners and stakeholders would commence activities for the week on Aug. 1 with community outreaches, training of health workers and media campaign, among others.