World Breastfeeding Day: Poor breastfeeding responsible for 60% under-five mortalities- Lagos govt

IBRAHIM QUADRI

Lagos State Government has once again restated its commitment to the provision and sustenance of a breastfeeding-friendly environment, noting that 60% of under-five mortalities are largely due to malnutrition caused by poor breastfeeding practices.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye who disclosed this Wednesday at a Press Briefing to outline planned activities of the State Government to commemorate the Y2022 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) celebration.

Ogboye noted that the ultimate responsibility of government for this year’s WBW celebration is to inform, educate and empower the actors to provide and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments.

He said: “The theme for Year 2022 World Breastfeeding Week is “Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support”; has been carefully selected as it explains our focus on strengthening the capacity of Actors that have to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across different levels of the Society. These actors make up the warm chain of support for breastfeeding, and they include: policy makers, healthcare providers, and Influencers in the communities”.

The Permanent Secretary explained that WBW is designed to promote, protect and support Exclusive Breastfeeding Practices from first hour of birth up to six months of life; and sustains Breastfeeding for up to two years of age, in addition, to the inclusion of appropriate Complementary Feeding from six months of age for optimal growth and development.

The Permanent Secretary added that State Government strategies for a breastfeeding-friendly environment include; increasing public awareness on the importance of Exclusive Breastfeeding and Continued Breastfeeding with Complementary Feeding and ensuring that Breastfeeding information and counseling are easily accessible to caregivers at all healthcare service delivery points.

Speaking on the importance of Breastfeeding, Ogboye stated that Breastfeeding prevents hunger and malnutrition in all its forms and ensures food security for babies stressing that Breast milk is readily available, pure, safe and in the right mixture and adequate for babies.

“The importance of Breastfeeding as a child survival strategy especially in the first six months of life is known to be the catalyst for improving maternal and child health indices. Breast milk adds no economic burden on household income because it is freely given by nature. It is important to reiterate that breastfeeding is the key to attaining sustainable development goals”, he said.

Ogboye averred that Exclusive Breastfeeding is known to protect babies from severe complications arising from gastro-enteritis, pneumonia and other childhood killer diseases, explaining that about 60% of under-five mortalities are largely due to malnutrition caused by poor breastfeeding practices and inadequate complementary feeding.

“Though Lagos State fares better in breastfeeding data, such as Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate which is 51.8% (NDHS 2018) compared to the National figure of 29% (NDHS 2018). However, there is still a lot of work to be done by all of us to get to the National target of 65% by Year 2025”, the Permanent Secretary stated.

He therefore called for a collective responsibility for the fight against malnutrition as all hands must be on deck to ensure that all nursing mothers are supported to give the meal which nature has provided at no cost, pure, safe and in the right mixture adequate for babies.

While noting that the fight against malnutrition in children can only be won through collective efforts of all citizens, Ogboye task residents to ensure that all children are exclusively breastfed for the 1st six months of life, and thereafter followed by adequate complementary feeding with continued Breast Feeding for up to two years of age.

“I therefore direct this appeal to all our Executive Chairmen for LGAs/LCDAs, Community and Religious leaders, Market Women Associations, Professional Bodies, Parents, Elite Groups, and Community Based Organizations to actively support our nursing mothers in the community to effectively breast feed their babies.

“The survival of our children is our collective responsibility, and so this is a clarion call to action. All hands must be on deck to ensure our nursing mothers are supported to give the meal nature has provided to our children”, he concluded.

Speaking in the same vein, the Director, Family Health and Nutrition in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Folashade Oludara tasked nursing and breastfeeding mothers on the need to adopt proper positioning and attachment of the child when breast-feeding to allow for comfortability and prevent irritability.