By Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
As the 2023 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) celebration kicks off, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, in collaboration with UNICEF, Alive & Thrive, Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Save the Children International (SCI), Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria Project (ANRiN) and other development partners
have urged the state residents to become advocates of exclusive breastfeeding and support mothers to practice optimal breastfeeding for the good of the State.
Addressing the Media, yesterday Kicked off the week-long activities, the State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe said Breast Milk is the ideal food for infants., safe, clean, and contains antibodies that help protect against many common childhood illnesses.
She explained that Breastmilk provides all the energy and nutrients that the infant needs for the first months of life, and it continues to provide up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs, during the second half of his/her first year, and up to one third during the second year of life.
Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe stressed that Breastfeeding provides many unmatched, proven health benefits for babies and mothers, as well as potential economic and environmental benefits for communities
She, however, said, only 29% of Nigerian babies are exclusively breastfed according to national recommendations (NDHS 2018), even though Kaduna state has recorded some appreciation of 41.1% (according to MICS 2021), which is still short of being adequate.
The Deputy Governor represented by the Commissioner For Health Hajia Umma Ahmed, noted that Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the risk of many infections like ear infections, respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal illnesses.
“They are also at a lower risk of developing chronic diseases later in life, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and asthma. The benefits of breastfeeding are long-lasting and can continue into adulthood.
“Breastfeeding has many benefits for mothers as well. It can reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast and ovarian cancer.
“Breastfeeding also promotes postpartum weight loss, as it burns calories and helps the uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnancy size.”
Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe disclosed that to support optimal breastfeeding in Kaduna state has Pronounced and implemented a 6 months paid maternity leave (extended from the earlier 3 months) for mothers working in the State Civil Service.
This, according to her has already taken effect across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with the hope that all others, even in the Private and Federal Sectors working in the state will follow suit.
