Date: 2017-08-30

The Acting Director, Public Health, Ministry of Health, Kwara State, Dr. Fakayode Enoch, and the Head Midwifery Programmes, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs. Felicity Ukoko, have said that Nigeria is unable to keep up with many other countries in terms of exclusive breast feeding.

Noting that the development was worrisome, they called on all stakeholders to encourage six months' exclusive breast feeding.

They spoke on Tuesday during a programme for mothers by the WBFA in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Enoch, who is also a consultant paediatrician, said that exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria was unacceptably low. He called on all stakeholders to encourage breastfeeding.

Ukoko said WBFA joined other countries to mark the World Breast Feeding Day in order to reiterate the importance of breastfeeding. She added that the foundation had been active in enlightenment and advocacy for exclusive breastfeeding.

She stated that though breastfeeding was high in Nigeria, exclusive breastfeeding was still low.

She said, "We know that in Nigeria, breastfeeding is very high. About 93 per cent of women breastfeed. But we know that exclusive breastfeeding for six months is less than 20 per cent. We have been concerned why our mothers start breastfeeding and do not continue. We need to address how we can help mothers to maintain continuous breastfeeding.

"We need the support of policy makers, looking at women who are returning to work and how they can breastfeed. More important, we need to educate our mothers. We run antenatal classes in three states in Nigeria. We are in 27 health facilities and we have 8,000 women teaching and supporting others on breast feeding."

Ukoko said that six months exclusive breastfeeding improved the health of mothers and babies.

She stated that breast milk contained all the nutrients the baby required, including water, in the first six months. She noted that the practice reduced the risk of diarrhoea and vomiting.

She added that breastfed babies had fewer chest and ear infections and were less likely to be constipated and develop eczema, asthma, heart disease, diabetes and other allergies.

According to her, breast milk is clean, free, available any time and comes at the right temperature.

Ukoko said, "Breastfeeding helps mothers' uterus to return to its normal size quickly, reduces the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, protests hip fractures and reduces bone density.

'It can also delay the return of fertility and helps to build a strong physical and emotional bond between mothers and baby."