The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised companies involved in the donation or sale of Breast Milk Substitutes (BMS) to stick to the guidelines stipulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The director-general of the agency, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, gave the advice in a statement in Abuja.
She said such substitutes for infants should not be provided through health workers, adding that breast milk products were not expected to display company brand as the intervention was not meant for brand promotion.
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Prof Adeyeye said they could only provide such products as supplies distributed through government or officially sanctioned health programmes.
She said: “Also, the WHO International Code of Marketing of BMS requires that products distributed in such programmes should not display company brands.
“In this specific instance, the unbranded packaging is to focus on the need to support the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, where necessary, in terms of infant and young child feeding. This will discourage the use of the pandemic as a platform for brand promotion.”
She advised infant food manufacturers/distributors and NGOs wishing to make foods for infants and young children available for distribution to adhere to the clarification provided above and approach NAFDAC for necessary guidance.
“Breast milk is the best food for the newborn child as it protects them from sicknesses. Breastfeeding is especially effective against infectious diseases as it boosts the child’s immunity by directly transferring antibodies from the mother to the child,” she added in the statement.
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