The Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Mohammed Baloni has said that increasing rates of exclusive breastfeeding could save the lives of 820,000 children every year and generate $302 billion in additional income.
The commissioner who made this disclosure at a press briefing to mark the World Breast Feeding week last Wednesday, noted that ’’in Nigeria, almost all (97%) children were breastfed at some point.’’
’’However, in terms of global recommendations on early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), performance and progress are still sub-optimal and slow when compared to global targets,’’ she pointed out.
‘’The rates of exclusive breastfeeding recorded a minimal improvement over the years -only 25% in 2014 (SMART 2014), down to 23.7% in 2016/17(MICS, 16/17) up again 29% in 2018 (NDHS, 2018).
‘’What this means is that about seven out of every 10 children between the ages of 0 and six months, are not exclusively breastfed in Nigeria. These children who are not exclusively breastfed are denied the uncontested benefits that come with exclusive breastfeeding,’’ she said.
Dr Baloni said that the World Health Assembly (WHA) target is to increase exclusive breastfeeding rate in the first six months of life to at least 50% by 2025.
‘’However, if breastfeeding trajectory continues at the current rate in Nigeria, it goes without saying that achieving the WHA target will be a mirage. Breastfeeding provides every child with the best possible start in life. It delivers health, nutritional and emotional benefits to both,’’ she argued.
According to the commissioner, ‘’while breastfeeding is a natural process, it is not always easy. Mothers need support – both to get started and to sustain breastfeeding.’’
The commissioner further said that Kaduna State Government wants all stakeholders to support, protect and promote women’s access to skilled breastfeeding counseling.
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