'Nigeria Lagging Behind Other Nations in Breastfeeding'

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."

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ola Falade     Abdulbaqi Jimoh     Yoruba     Ramadhan     Samuel Adaramola     Moses Adekanye     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Mohammed Abduraheem     Bolaji Nagode     Kunle Okeowo     Iyeru Grammar School     Kwara State Health Insurance Agency     Federal Polytechnic Offa     Mumini Ishola Hanafi     Matthew Babaoye     Apaola     AGM Professional Services     General Hospital     Shettima Of Ilorin     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Raji AbdulRasaq     Kubra Kazum     Amos Sayo     Owode Market     Pius Abioje     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Ayo Adeyemi     Awwal Jawondo     Yashikira     Mohammed Yisa     Oke-Odo     Durbar Festival     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     IDPU     Owu Fall     Idris Amosa Oladipo Saidu     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Saka Asiat Ayinke     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Nigeria Governors\' Forum     Jide Ashonibare     Muhammad Ghali Alaaya     Damilola Yusuf     Alabi Lawal     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Folorunsho Alao     Kale Belgore     Joseph Daudu     Kishira     MATTA Girls Foundation     Ita-Ore     Baruten     Busari Alabi Alausa     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Temi Kolawole     Lawan     Mopelola Abdulmaliq-Bashir     Illyasu Abdullahi     Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board     3MTT     Ayoade Akinnibosun     Kamaldeen Gambari     Idofin     Zara Umar     Obayomi Azeez     Ambassador Kayode Laro     Babajide Ajayi     Tsaragi-Share     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     Folashade Omoniyi     Lasiele Alabi Yahaya     Sayomi     Usman Alkali Baba     Voices Of Tomorrow     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     FERMA     Adewuyi Funmilayo    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Sobi Specialist Hospital     Taofeek Sanusi     KWASEIC     Oya State     Funke Adedoyin     Zainab Abass     Coronavirus     Ibrahim Taiwo     NNPP     SSA Youth Engagement     Kemi Adeosun     AbdulHamid Adi     Bamidele Aluko     Omoniyi M. Ayinla     Amusement Park     Galadima     Popo-Igbonna     Seni Saraki     Sobi     Lithium Deposit     Muhammed Aliyu     AbdulRahman Saad     JSSCE     Aminat Omodara     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Esinrogunjo     VADA     Yaru     Babata     Kwara 2015     Niyi Osundare     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Akanji     Gbugbu International Market     Sarkin Malamai     Laolu Saraki     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Orisa Bridge     John Kehinde Salako     Lawan     Jebba     Abiodun Jacob Ajiboye     Share-Tsaragi     Offa Grammer School     Iqra Books     Owo Arugbo     Muhammed Abdullahi     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Galland Marcias     Bayo Onimago     Owode Market     Ileloke     Offa     GAMA     Raliat Islamic Foundation     Ayo Salami     Isau     Grillo     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Chief Imam Of Lafiagi     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Yakubu Shaaba     ITP     Mamman Saba Jibril     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     COEASU     SSA Youth     Rebecca Olanrewaju     Photo News     Memunat Monsuma     NAWOJ     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport     Elerinjare     Olaosebikan     Senate President     TIIDELab     Students Union Government