WBW: UNICEF, WHO advocates regulation of marketing breastmilk subtitudes in Nigeria
By Samuel Luka
In order to support progress of breastfeeding in Nigeria, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have advocated that marketing of breastmilk subtitudes should be regulated.
The UNICEF Nigeria’s Country Representative, Cristian Munduate who stated this in a press release to mark this year’s World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), said data needs to be available on policy actions that make breastfeeding
possible such as family friendly employment policies as well as investment in breastfeeding.
The press release which was made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday also ranked Nigeria as having the highest number of lactating mothers breastfeeding simultaneously across the world.
Munduate who revealed that in August 1st this year, 30,000 mothers will breastfeed their
babies across all the 36 states in Nigeria and the FCT, called for equal access to breastfeeding support.
The press release which was made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Wednesday, noted that in the last 12 years, the number of infants under six months of
age who are exclusively breastfed in Nigeria has increased by more than 10 per cent.
The statement further said, as of today, 34 percent of infants in Nigeria benefits from this healthy start in life, translating to
hundreds of thousands of babies whose lives have been saved by breastfeeding.
Munduate explained in the statement that the significant leap has brought UNICEF closer to the World Health Organization target of increasing exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50 per cent by 2025.
The Country Representative who insisted that certain persistent challenges must be addressed, and that, breastfeeding is the foundation of lifelong health and well-being further described it as a simple, cost-effective, and natural way to provide infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development.
Munduate who equally observed that despite proven benefits of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding rates in Nigeria remain low, regretted that many mothers face cultural, social, and practical barriers that prevent them from
breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of their child’s life.
“During this critical period of early growth and development, the antibodies in breastmilk protect babies against illness and death”, she said.
“This is especially important during emergencies,
when breastfeeding guarantees a safe, nutritious, and accessible food source for infants and young children”, Cristian Munduate added.
The UNICEF also stressed that breastfeeding reduces the burden of childhood illness, and the risk of certain types of cancers and noncommunicable diseases for mothers.
She stated that at this year’s 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.
She identified key gaps in breastfeeding support in Nigeria to include insufficient maternity leave policies, lack of workplace support, and inadequate access to breastfeeding education and services, particularly in rural areas.
UNICEF noted that only seven states offer the recommended 24 weeks of paid maternity leave, and many women return to work without the necessary support to
continue breastfeeding.