UNICEF, Enugu First Lady Educate Nursing Mothers On Exclusive Breastfeeding

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Tuesday, August 6th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and wife of Enugu state governor, Mrs. Nkechi Mbah, have advised nursing mothers in the state to always embrace exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) practice, saying it is a natural vaccine for newborns.

They further posited that the health benefits to newborns through such age long practice are enormous hence, the need for every breastfeeding mother to always engage in it.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the 2024 World Breastfeeding week in Enugu Thursday, UNICEF Chief of Field office, Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, said her organization is happy with the collaboration with the state government over the years in improving the lives of children and women in the state.

She stated that the Theme for this year’s celebration: ‘Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All” was apt and a clarion call for the promotion of the practice amongst nursing mothers.

Chiluwe, who in her goodwill massage stressed the importance of Nutrition in human life, said it contributes to health and wellbeing of human beings, adding that ” poor nutrition results in poor health outcome”

Represented by the Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Field office Enugu, Ngozi Onuora, she equally noted that part of the ceremony was also aimed at observing a world record breaking attempt towards achieving the world record for “the most lactating women breastfeeding simultaneously”, targeting 30,000 women breastfeeding same time across 36 states of in Nigeria, including Enugu state.

According to Chiluwe, ‘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 percent. This means 48 percent of infants worldwide now benefit from this healthy start in life” she stated.

“It translates to hundreds of thousands of babies whose lives have been saved by breastfeeding. As we are all aware, Children in Enugu state are experiencing chronic food poverty.”

“Exclusive breastfeeding occurs only among 28 percent of newborns, which is still below the global target of at least 50 percent by 2025.

” What this means is that 72 percent (i.e 7 out of 10) of our children between ages 0-6 months are denied the uncontested benefits that come with Exclusive Breastfeeding EBF”.

She further stressed that the introduction of water in the first 6 months of life, is the major harmful barrier to achieving optimal EBF in Nigeria, and in Enugu state specially. Hence, if mothers could ensure zero water within the first 6 months of the life of the baby, we can rapidly improve our EBF rate to over 60 percent from the current 34 percent nationally and 28 percent at the state levels, ahead of the 50 percent WHA global target by 2025.

In her remark the Enugu state first Lady, Mrs. Mbah, described breast milk as a natural Vaccine for babies between ages of zero and 6 months.

She noted with dismay that EBF rate in Nigeria has Remained persistently low, thereby, presenting a critical Public Health Challenges, adding that record breaking attempt would be a powerful platform to promote optimal breastfeeding practices and combat the social stigma around the practice.

The governor’s wife stated that by doing so, it will garner national and global attention, catalyzing action to encourage EBF and improve maternal and child health outcomes.

Earlier, in her speech, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Ifeyinwa Anih-Osheku, said the Theme for this year’s celebration is apt.

She noted that breast milk contains the perfect balance of nutrients essential for infant growth and development as well as Antibodies Enzymes and Hormones that fight against illness, promote optimal Health.

Our correspondent writes that the programme which Targets over 30,000 breastfeeding mothers across the country was performed Simultaneously in the 36 states of the country, and Abuja, with over 1000 in attendance in Enugu.

Also present at the event were, Secretary to Enugu state government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ikechukwu Obi, his Gender Affairs and Social Development counterpart, Mrs. Ngozi Enih as well as development partners.