By not investing in exclusive breastfeeding, Nigeria loses $21b per year or 4.1 per cent of its gross national income, the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has said.
Mrs. Ada Ezeogu, a UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, made this known at a media dialogue on breastfeeding organised by Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, sponsored by UK Department for International Development (DFID) in Ibadan.
She said the summation of low cognitive development, low IQ and health costs due to inadequate breastfeeding translated to $21b economic loss.
“Based on UNICEF fact sheet, the low rate of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) leads to 103,742 child’s deaths and robs 5. 4 million children yearly of essential nutrition required to develop properly. Delaying breastfeeding for two to 23 hours after birth increases the risk of dying within 28 days of a baby’s life by 40 per cent,” Ezeogu said.
According to her, this has contributed to the country’s problem of chronic malnutrition, resulting to the current 11 million malnourished under-five children.
Also, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, UNICEF Communication Specialist, said the dialogue was aimed at partnering with the media to increase rate of EBF in the country
In his remarks, Mr. Tejinder Sadhu, Chief of Field Office UNICEF, Akure, said.
“Breastfeeding is not one woman’s job. Mothers need assistance and support from their healthcare providers, families, communities, employers and government, so that they can provide their children the healthiest start to life. Together we can support them into breastfeeding, protect and help in ensuring the wellbeing of our future generations.”
Similarly, UNICEF Chief Field Officer in Borno State, Geoffrey Ijumba, has said the rates of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in the Northeast are still dangerously low for infants taking refuge with mothers in Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps.
Ijumba revealed this at the weekend during a joint launch of community campaign to promote and support breastfeeding, to mark this year’s World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) in Maiduguri.
Borno State Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Abubakar Hassan also said most of the IDPs in camps are women and nursing over 350, 000 children.
Ijumba explained that partners promoting the breastfeeding community campaigns are reaching out through the media by engaging traditional, religious and community leaders to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding.
“The breastfeeding campaign is to promote creation of supportive environment for women to breastfeed their children,” he said.
He noted that the youngest are the most vulnerable when families are displaced and food and health services become scarce.
FOLLOW US ON:
Connect with Joshua Osagie (Blog owner)
WHEN ON WEB VIEW, SEE OUR TOP LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE BAR FOR LIVE STREAM NEWS CHANNELS (GLOBAL AND NIGERIAN )
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
FOLLOW US ON:
> The Forefront on Twitter
>BBM Channel: C002CB006 {WELCOME TO THE FOREFRONT
>{Instagram: the_forefront_nigeria }
Connect with Joshua Osagie (Blog owner)
Share this post with others on social media with options below.
VIA SHARES, COMMENTS AND LIKES, JOIN OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FEED PLUGIN DOWN THE SITE (SWITCH TO WEB VIEW FOR PAGE UPDATES IF YOU ARE ON MOBILE VERSION OF THE SITE).
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer!!! Opinions expressed in comments do not represent THE FOREFRONT MEDIA NG's views. All participants are entitled to their opinions. Thank you!!!
Advertise on the Forefront: For advert placement in the blog or advert posts like news updates, reach +2348124620827 [WhatsApp].
Copyright 2023 The Forefront Media Ng. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from The Forefront Media Ng