Oyo targets over 50 percent exclusive breastfeeding rate for children 0-6 months
The Oyo state government has expressed its commitment to achieve more than 50 percent exclusive Breastfeeding by nursing mothers by the end of year 2017, saying that series of sensitization activities will be done to commemorate the 2017 World Breastfeeding week in the state.
The State Commissioner for Health, Azeez Adeduntan said the 50%, which is in line with the provision of the National Strategic plan on Nutrition, will be achieved base on the concerted efforts by the Oyo State Government to sensitise Nursing mothers on the importance of Breastfeeding.
According to him “a sensitization programme to enlighten Nursing Mothers on the benefits of Breastfeeding will hold at the Oni and Sons hospital on Wednesday 2nd of August, 2017, Adeoyo hospital Yemetu on Friday 4th of August 2017 while the sensitization train will move to Atiba and Oyo West on Monday 7th of August, 2017.
Adeduntan, a medical doctor stated this in Ibadan while speaking on the forthcoming 2017 World Breastfeeding week, a global celebration to promote children from ages 0-6 months to be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, regretting that number of pregnant women lost their babies ignorantly through the use of unapproved herbal concoction, predominantly giving their children water.
He explained that the exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life and the introduction of complementary diet till the first two years of life, play a vital role in the development of a child adding that “Breast milk is a complete diet given to women by God and any baby that feeds on it will not likely get sick”.
The Commissioner noted that less than 30 percent of the mothers in the state engaged in the exclusive breastfeeding while over 70 percent do not practice exclusive breast feeding for their new born babies in the first six months of life.
He however advised mothers in the state to embrace the practice of exclusive breastfeeding, saying that this will serve as a defence for babies against any diseases and such child will be mentally sound and grow well.
Akinremi Feyisipo, Ibadan