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States Government have been called on to as a matter of urgency, domesticate and begin implementation of six months paid maternity leave to encourage exclusive breastfeeding of newborn babies.
The Chairperson, Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq who made the call at an event to commemorate this year’s World Breastfeeding Week in Kwara State, said only ten, out of thirty-six States, have so far implemented the policy.
Ambassador Abdulrazaq who applauded the Kwara State Government on its various policies aimed at improving maternal and child health as well as nutrition, commended UNICEF for their support in improving maternal and child health.
Earlier, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, Kaduna Field Office, Chinwe Ezeife emphasized the need for mothers to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, engage in exclusive breastfeeding for six months and breast feed for two years.
Mrs Ezeife affirmed improvement in the State’s health indices on breastfeeding but called for stronger policies to scale up the figure.
She stated that despite UNICEF and WHO recommendation that breastfeeding should ideally continue till at least 24 months, statistics have shown that many Nigerian babies are weaned too early.
The UNICEF Nutrition Specialist called for an enabling environment at home and workplaces to enable nursing mothers sustain
breastfeeding practices.
She also appealed to government to integrate breastfeeding promotion into national health policies, maternal and child health programmes, insurance schemes and enforce implementation of policies that protect breastfeeding, such as the code of marketing of breastmilk substitutes.
“Fight misinformation.
Breast milk is all a baby needs for the first 6 months. No substitutes compare. Speak up against misleading marketing and the slogan “Fed is best”
Breastfeeding is a shared responsibility.” She maintained.
In a remark, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam who announced that Ministries, Department and Agencies in Kwara, now have creche to encourage breastfeeding while at work, appealed to men to support their wives and discourage mothers-inlaw from giving herbal concoction to babies, particularly in the first six months of life.
Dr El-Imam said with the recent directive on the commencement of paid maternity leave, nursing mothers would have adequate time for exclusive while also prioritizing their health.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems,” the Chief Medical Director, Children Specialist Hospital, Ilorin, Dr Mosunmola Folorunsho listed the health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to include healthy child growth, brain development, reduced chances of ovarian and breast cancer and protection of the environment from pollution.
Dr Folorunsho pointed out that stakeholders needed to galvanize action and adopt a sector wide approach to ensure that newborn babies get the recommended care.
The event was attended by top government officials, development partners, Chief Medical Directors, pregnant and nursing mothers.
By Rasheedat Iliyas
