Cover

UNICEF advocates exclusive breast feeding

Aug. 2, 2024

By Folasade Akpan

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged nursing mothers to commit to breastfeeding their children exclusively for six months.

The fund’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Cristian Munduate, made the call in an interview in Abuja on Friday, on the occasion of the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW).

WBW is commemorated from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 every year and has “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All” as the theme for 2024.

The aim is to emphasise the need to improve support as critical action for reducing health inequity and protecting the rights of mothers and babies to survive and thrive.

The UNICEF country representative, therefore, said “breast milk helps to boost the immunity of children and makes them stronger.

“The gift of mother nature granted us this opportunity for women to feed their children. This is the only source of food a child needs in the first six months of life.

“Breast milk helps to prevent babies from getting any type of disease. This is a call for women to engage and commit themselves to breastfeeding their children.

“There is also the need for government and religious leaders to advocate for it, provide conducive atmosphere and encourage mothers to Breastfeed.”

Munduate called for support in dispelling rumours and myths surrounding breastfeeding.

According to her, one of the barriers to breastfeeding is cultural beliefs.

She said “there are some areas in the country where they believe the breast milk is not good for children. That is totally wrong and not true. Breast milk is essential and critical for a child to have a good start in life.”

She also urged pregnant women to always attend ante-natal care, where they would be provided Vitamin A, folic, iron, and micronutrients to make them strong.

According to her, Vitamin A and micronutrients help in preventing  malnutrition in pregnant women.

She added that UNICEF had provided Vitamin A for pregnant women and women in fertile age free of charge.

Related Posts

FG bans use of laterite for road construction

Reviewing infrastructure development in 8 years of Buhari

Fuel importation: Marketers demand equal access to forex

FG, AAD to bolster economy with model tech park

Donald Trump to have election fraud trial livestreamed – US Court

Imperative for an indigenous credit rating agency in Africa

Musk says cage fight with Zuckerberg will be in Italy

Musawa Secures $200m AfreximBank Deal to Transform Nigeria’s Creative Economy

News Port Ng

How troops rescued Nabeeha’s sisters, other Abuja kidnap victims