Statistics show that one of the biggest impediments to achieving a high adherent rate of mothers who breastfeed their children exclusively in Nigeria, especially in the rural areas, is often the disbelief or lack of knowledge of the benefits of a healthy breast milk to infants.
For instance, a recent health survey shows that only seventeen percent of babies in Nigeria and twenty-four percent in Anambra State are exclusively breastfed for the recommended six months, well below the global target of fifty percent.
Consequently, at the flag-off of the 2019 World Breastfeeding Week at Referral Health Center, Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, nursing and expectant mothers were, again, put through a graphic description of the huge health advantages of breastfeeding their babies in line with the recommended pattern.
At the event, the mothers present also asked diverse questions on areas concerning breastfeeding which they found confusing or difficult to understand, to which one of the answers was that a nursing mother can still breastfeed her child even while pregnant for another baby.
It was also noted that while breastfeeding creates a strong bond between a baby and the mother, exclusive breastfeeding aids family planning, strengthens the child’s brain and body developments, and immune the baby from most sicknesses.
The flag-off of the 2019 World Breastfeeding Week in Anambra State was organized by the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with Anambra State Ministry of Health
The Permanent Secretary, Anambra State Ministry of Health, Dr John Ndibe, who flagged off the week on behalf of the Commissioner for Health, spoke from a personal experience on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, and said that men also have a responsibility of supporting their wives to feed well, before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after childbirth, to keep her healthy enough to go through her time of breastfeeding the baby.
He said the Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency law which instituted the Agency, the recent establishment of the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme, and the refurbishment of health care centers in different parts of Anambra State, all of which were achieved under the present administration, showed that Governor Obiano understands the essence of quality and affordable health care for every Onye Anambra.
The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu, stated that it was important for mothers to understand the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, which must be kicked off with early initiation, that is, within one hour of a child’s birth, and added that breastfeeding prevents infants from diarrhea and respiratory tract infections, reduces the risk of mothers developing breast and ovarian cancer and heart diseases.
The Transition Committee Chairman of Ekwusigo Council Area, Mr. Austin Enendu, who was represented by the Supervisory Counselor for Health in the Council, Sir Sylvester Nnubia, urged mothers to take the practice of exclusive breastfeeding as a paramount child raising principle that helps the child, the mother, the family and the larger society.
The Anambra State Breastfeeding Coordinator, Mrs. Joy Ebere-Ndu, who enlightened the women on the import of exclusive breastfeeding, spoke about the consistency of her unit in giving nursing mothers orientation on the lasting health benefits of breastfeeding their children exclusively.Â
Mr. Felix Okocha of the UNICEF, a partner body of the Anambra State Government, praised the efforts of the Anambra State Government in promoting quality and affordable health for its residents, and said that the United Nations’ organ remains interested in entrenching lasting health and child support policies that put children and mothers first in vast areas of which health care is paramount.Â
At the event, mothers whose babies were confirmed to have been exclusively breastfed were also presented with gifts, as a way of encouraging them, and spurring other mothers to do the same.
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year, from first to seventh August, to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the globe.
The theme of this year’s event is “Empower Parent, Enable Breastfeeding”.
Comments are closed for this post.