13 percent of child’s death can be averted through exclusive breastfeeding -UNICEF

SELYA  YARNAP, Bauchi

 

 

A Nutrition Specialist with  the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Philomena Irene, has disclosed  that  an estimated  13% of child deaths could be averted if 90% of mothers exclusively breastfed their infants for the first six months of life.

 

 

Philomena Irene  revealed this during a Media Dialogue on breastfeeding week in Azare, Katagum local government area of Bauchi state on Wednesday.

 

 

 

According  to her, low Breastfeeding rates contribute to increased sickness, thereby incurring higher care and treatment costs.

 

 

She also said that the production, packaging, storing, distribution and preparation of infant formula contributes to environmental damage and increased expenditure for families.

 

 

She cautioned that delaying breastfeeding by 2-23 hours after birth increases the risk of a baby dying in the first 28 days of his or her life by 40 per cent.

 

 

Speaking on a topic, ‘breast milk: the life preserving Super food for babies; trends in breastfeeding in Bauchi field office states, Irene said breast milk is affordable, accessible that every mother can afford.

 

 

Irene who said, well breastfed babies are healthier and have chances of becoming healthy teenagers and adults, further explained that there is reduction in delinquency and other

 

psychosocial problems in such children.

 

 

She said breastfeeding protects the environment against been littered with infant food containers as well as save cost in the production of feeds.

 

 

According to her, breastfeeding help economically by saving foreign exchange from importation of breast milk Substitutes (BMS) and feeding utensils, health costs and hospital trips.

 

 

She further explained that breastfeeding leads to decreased morbidity and mortality for children and

 

their mothers.

 

 

“Exclusive breastfeeding has the potential to save more children’s lives than any other preventive intervention”, she said.

 

 

“Breastfed children have at least 6 times greater chance of survival in the early months than non

 

breastfed children”, Irene added.

 

 

She further noted that an exclusively breastfed child is 14 times less likely to die in the first six months than a non-breastfed child.

 

 

She urged the government to Create enabling environment for exclusive breastfeeding by enacting legislation on 6 months paid maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks & crèches.

 

 

Irene further called for the enforcement and monitoring of compliance to the code of marketing of breast milk substitutes as well as allocate adequate funding for implementation of interventions to support breastfeeding.

 

 

On his part, the Executive chairman of Bauchi state Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), Dr Rilwanu Mohammed said efforts are ongoing to formulate policies towards supporting nursing mothers with six months maternity leave to encourage exclusive breastfeeding.