World Breastfeeding Week: Nigeria urges stronger support for mothers

Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is calling for enhanced support for breastfeeding, urging the creation of supportive environments for mothers in homes, communities, healthcare facilities, and workplaces. This appeal precedes the upcoming World Breastfeeding Week.

Observed annually from August 1 to 7, this year's global event carries the theme, “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works.” The theme underscores the importance of building upon proven strategies that have successfully improved breastfeeding practices. It also highlights the connection between breastfeeding and advancements in nutrition, food security, and poverty reduction.

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Breastfeeding supports healthy brain development, improves child survival and contributes significantly to human capital development and national productivity.

The ministry described breastfeeding as fundamental to lifelong health, providing optimal nutrition for infants, bolstering immunity, and supporting healthy brain development. According to the Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, breastfeeding significantly contributes to child survival, human capital development, and national productivity. Promoting breastfeeding also leads to reduced healthcare costs and advances social equity and food security.

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Families, healthcare providers, employers, communities and policymakers all have critical roles in ensuring that breastfeeding mothers receive adequate care, encouragement and workplace support.

Emphasizing that every mother deserves the necessary support for successful breastfeeding, the ministry stated that families, healthcare providers, employers, communities, and policymakers all play crucial roles. They are urged to ensure breastfeeding mothers receive adequate care, encouragement, and workplace support. The ministry reiterated its recommendations for optimal infant feeding, including early initiation within an hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and the introduction of complementary foods from six months while continuing breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.

Breast milk is highlighted as the ideal infant food due to its safety, affordability, availability, and hygiene, offering the first line of defense against common childhood illnesses. Increased breastfeeding also helps families avoid the financial strain of infant formula and preventable diseases. Nationwide activities are planned for World Breastfeeding Week, including a national commemoration on August 3, a media conference, and community outreach programs. The ministry urged collective action to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding as an investment in healthier children, stronger families, and a more prosperous Nigeria.

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Collective action to protect, promote and support breastfeeding is an investment in healthier children, stronger families and a more prosperous Nigeria.