‘Improved breastfeeding can reduce infant mortality by 13%’

Speaking during a press briefing on World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), which held in Kaduna, Thot said that in spite of efforts made by government, partners and other stakeholders towards achieving MDGs 4 and 5, child mortality has remained a challenge.According to him, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013 shows that timely breastfeeding initiation […]

Speaking during a press briefing on World Breastfeeding Week (WBW), which held in Kaduna, Thot said that in spite of efforts made by government, partners and other stakeholders towards achieving MDGs 4 and 5, child mortality has remained a challenge.
According to him, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013 shows that timely breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding for six months are still low at 28% and 11% respectively.
While he stressed the need to sensitize breastfeeding mothers on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for six months and sustained breastfeeding together with adequate complementary feeds from six months to two years; he noted that breastfeeding initiated within 30minutes of delivery in maternity facilities is very important.
Dr. Thot who was represented by the Director, Public Health in the ministry of health Dr. Ado Zakari mentioned that there is need to build the capacity of health-workers to offer counselling on infant and young child feeding, adding that formation of support groups on breastfeeding in communities is important.
He stated that advertisement of artificial feeds over breast milk should be discouraged while communication strategies on breastfeeding should be promoted using multiple channels and messages.