Wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, among other stakeholders has called on all and sundry to join hands with government in propagating the practice of breastfeeding babies for the first six months and subsequently, in order to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates in the State.
Mrs. Abiodun, while speaking during the flag-off ceremony to commemorate the 2024 World Breastfeeding week, at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, with the theme, “Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All”, emphasised the need for decisive actions to create a supportive environment for all working mothers, both in the formal and informal sectors, to enable them breastfeed their babies appropriately.
The First Lady, represented by Wife of the Ogun Assembly Speaker, Dr. Olayinka Elemide, said the event marked a significant step towards improving exclusive breastfeeding in the state, and underscored the collective efforts required to achieve the critical health targets, stating that the initiative was in alignment with the World Health Assembly’s (WHA) goal, to boost the global rate of exclusive breastfeeding by at least 50 percent by 2025.
She outlined the state government’s commitment to improving breastfeeding practice which include, raising awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and dismantling associated social stigmas, addressing harmful nutrition norms, such as introduction of water and other pre-lacteal feeds during the first six months, among others.
‘’There are several initiatives by the state to combat malnutrition. These include bi-annual Vitamin A supplementation for children aged 6-59 months, the establishment of a Nutrition Kitchen for producing therapeutic foods, and extensive nutrition education programmes for pregnant women and nursing mothers’’, Mrs. Abiodun affirmed.
In her remarks, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, represented by the Executive Secretary, Ogun State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, said adequate breastfeeding was essential for infants, to provide them with necessary nutrients that would support their physical and emotional well-being, urging families to maximise derivable benefits of the practice for the wellness of mother and child.
In their goodwill messages, representatives of Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), commended the state government for the event, imploring mothers to ensure that their children enjoy breastfeeding for them to be well-nourished.
Responding on behalf of other mothers, Mrs. Aminat Yekeen appreciated the government for its unwavering support on the health of mothers and children over the years, enjoining co-mothers to key into the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for proper growth and development of their children.
