HEALTH: 2023 WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK

"The global theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, according to the statement from the Federal Ministry of Health, is ‘Enable Breastfeeding, making a Difference for Working Parents’. It focuses on breastfeeding and employment/work. 

"This year’s theme calls for more awareness on breastfeeding support in workspaces." 

"In Nigeria, only 29% of the infants under age 6 months were found to be exclusively breastfed, while only 42% were put to breast within."

The World Breastfeeding Week is a yearly global campaign that aims to increase awareness on the health and wellbeing outcomes of breastfeeding on infants, young children, mothers, families and the society at large. 

This was the disclosure by the Director, Press and Public Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Health, Patricia Deworitshe, in a statement released by the Federal Ministry of Health on Thursday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health and Partners, will join the rest of the world to observe this week from the 1st to 7th of August, 2023.

The Federal Government therefore urged all citizens to enable breastfeeding by making a difference for working parents.

The global theme for this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, according to the statement from the Federal Ministry of Health, is ‘Enable Breastfeeding, making a Difference for Working Parents’. It focuses on breastfeeding and employment/work. 

"This year’s theme calls for more awareness on breastfeeding support in workspaces." The statement read.

"In Nigeria, only 29% of the infants under age 6 months were found to be exclusively breastfed, while only 42% were put to breast within the first hour of birth. To achieve a higher impact on malnutrition reduction such as stunting, the coverage of nutrition sensitive and nutrition specific interventions among the targeted population should be 80% and above.

"The known identified challenges that hinder breastfeeding of infants in the country among others include inadequate knowledge among mothers on the benefits of breastmilk, myths surrounding breastfeeding, early return to work after childbirth, lack of a conducive breastfeeding environment especially for working mothers, aggressive marketing of breastmilk substitutes, among others.

"Breastfeeding is the right of both the mother and the child. However, for working mothers in Nigeria, balancing the demands of their careers with the desire to breastfeed can be challenging. In addition to working outside the home, many Nigerian women have to perform time-consuming, often arduous domestic chores including cooking and laundry to maintain the household; and they also have to breastfeed their children. This year we are focusing on how we can adequately support these women to optimal breastfeeding for the good of our dear nation.

"The Federal Ministry of Health recommends early initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, continued breastfeeding up to two years of age or beyond, with the introduction of appropriate complementary food as from six months. The Ministry also wishes to emphasize that working places should be made conducive to encourage breastfeeding as this will enhance productivity for these mothers, while assuring their nurturing role.

"Presently, women employed in the federal civil service are entitled to 16 weeks paid maternity leave and when they return to work, they have two hours off a day to breastfeed till 6 months. The Civil Service has extended this to the men, with 14 days paternity leave. Under the Labour Act, mothers employed outside of the public sector are entitled to 12 weeks maternity leave. They are entitled to half pay if they’ve worked for their employer for at least six months.

"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. Breastmilk is very nutritious and builds the immunity of the baby. It also protects babies from common diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia. Much more, the bonding between mother and baby during breastfeeding improves emotional and social development of the child.

"The general public, is being reminded that breastmilk 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. Breast milk provides all the energy and nutrients that the child needs for the first months of life, and it 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.

"Therefore, it’s important that everyone gets involved by supporting our women to breastfeed everywhere. Your support contributes to our nation’s health, economy and future workforce." It concluded.