In marking the World Breastfeeding Week, attention is once again drawn to the import of providing optimal nutrition, health, and development of the child. Korede Abdullah evaluates in this write up some of the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding
World Breastfeeding Week
As the calendar flipped to August 1, the world came together to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, a global campaign spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The week-long observance is aimed at promoting the importance of breastfeeding for mothers and babies, highlighting its numerous benefits for their health, well-being, and the environment.
World Breastfeeding Week is held in the first week of August every year, supported by WHO, UNICEF and many Ministries of Health and civil society partners. The theme for 2024 is Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all.
Throughout the week, events and activities are taking place worldwide to raise awareness and support for breastfeeding.
Healthcare professionals, lactation consultants, and breastfeeding advocates shared information and resources, dispelling common myths and misconceptions.
The campaign will celebrate breastfeeding mums in all their diversity, throughout their breastfeeding journeys, while showcasing the ways families, societies, communities and health workers can have the back of every breastfeeding mum.
Number of Infants on Exclusive Breastfeeding has Increased
According to report by WHO, in the last 12 years, the number of infants under six months of age globally who are exclusively breastfed has increased by more than 10%. This means 48% of infants worldwide now benefit from this healthy start in life. It translates to hundreds of thousands of babies whose lives have been saved by breastfeeding.
This is significant leap brings the world closer to the World Health Organization target of increasing exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50% by 2025, there are persistent challenges that must be addressed.
According to UNICEF and WHO, 34 per cent of infants in Nigeria benefit from a healthy start in life, translating to hundreds of thousands of babies whose lives have been saved by breastfeeding.
They noted that while the significant leap brings the country closer to the World Health Organisation target of increasing exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50 per cent by 2025, there are persistent challenges that must be addressed.
UNICEF Nigeria’s Country Representative Statement
Nigeria’s Country Representative, Cristian Munduate, explained that breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong health and well-being.
According to her, “it is a simple, cost-effective, and natural way to provide infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
“However, despite its proven benefits, exclusive breastfeeding rates in Nigeria remain low. Many mothers face cultural, social, and practical barriers that prevent them from breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of their child’s life.”
Women Need Support
When mothers receive the support they need to breastfeed their babies, everyone benefits. Medical experts believe that improving breastfeeding rates could save over 820 000 children’s lives each year, according to the latest available data.
Breastfeeding as Food Nutrients for Baby
During this critical period of early growth and development, the antibodies in breastmilk protect babies against illness and death. This is especially important during emergencies, when breastfeeding guarantees a safe, nutritious, and accessible food source for infants and young children.
Breastfeeding reduces the burden of childhood illness, and the risk of certain types of cancers and noncommunicable diseases for mothers.
The Significance of the Theme
This World Breastfeeding Week, under the theme “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all”, UNICEF and WHO are emphasizing the need to improve breastfeeding support as a critical action for reducing health inequity and protecting the rights of mothers and babies to survive and thrive.
It is estimated by the global health body that 4.5 billion people – that’s more than half of the world’s population – do not have full coverage of essential health services, so many women do not receive the support they need to optimally breastfeed their babies. This includes access to trained, empathetic and respectful health advice and counselling throughout a woman’s breastfeeding journey.
Support to Mothers
Mr Ademola Alabi, a senior nursing officer with the Ekiti State Ministry of Health, said data collection is very important to deal decisively with healthcare inequalities.
“Accurate data collection is key to tackling healthcare inequalities and ensuring mothers and families are provided with timely, effective breastfeeding support. Currently, only half of all countries collect data on breastfeeding rates.”, Alabi said.
The senior nurse added that to support progress, data also needs to be available on policy actions that make breastfeeding possible such as family friendly employment policies, regulation of the marketing of breastmilk substitutes, and investment in breastfeeding.
Monitoring Nursing Mothers
Medical experts also said that improving monitoring systems will help boost the effectiveness of breastfeeding policies and programmes, inform better decision-making, and ensure support systems can be adequately financed.
When breastfeeding is protected and supported, women are more than twice as likely to breastfeed their infants. This is a shared responsibility.
Roles Played by Critical Stakeholders
According to both UNICEF and WHO families, communities, healthcare workers, policymakers, and other decision-makers all play a central role by increasing investment in programmes and policies that protect and support breastfeeding through dedicated national budgets.
The stakeholders must also implement and monitore family friendly workplace policies, such as paid maternity leave, breastfeeding breaks and access to affordable and good-quality childcare.
They must ensure that mothers who are at-risk in emergencies or under-represented communities, receive breastfeeding protection and support in line with their unique needs, including timely, effective breastfeeding counselling as part of routine health coverage.
Government must improve monitoring of breastfeeding programmes and policies to inform and further improve breastfeeding rates and developing and enforcing laws restricting the marketing of breast-milk substitutes, including digital marketing practices, with monitoring to routinely report the Code violations.
As the World Breastfeeding Week inches to an end on Wednesday August 7, WHO and UNICEF emphasize that breastfeeding is a crucial aspect of infant and young child feeding, providing optimal nutrition, health, and development benefits.
By promoting and supporting breastfeeding, it is believed that society can improve the health and well-being of mothers and children worldwide. Then the theme for the World Breastfeeding Week 2024 can resonate.
