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‘Benue yet to meets national goal, global target of breastfeeding -UNICEF

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UNICEF
UNICEF

From Attah Ede, Makurdi 

The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) in Benue State has lamented that the state is yet to meet national goal and global target for breastfeeding and new mothers.

The agency inferred that only one of every 2 newborns representing 47% are breastfed within the first hour of life in the State. 

It further said that only one of two children representing 56.7%, is exclusively breastfed for six months while only 37.6% of children are breastfed up to two years in the State, falling below  the national goal of 65% and the global target of 60% by 2025. 

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The UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Mrs.Juliet Chiluwe disclosed this during the flag off of the 2025 World Breastfeeding Week at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) Makurdi and the Ultra-modern International Market (Yelewata) IDP camp.

Mrs. Chiluwe enjoined relevant stakeholders to put mothers and babies first by prioritizing breastfeeding and building sustainable support systems for every mother and child in Nigeria. 

She maintained that supporting new mothers to breastfeed exclusively for at least six months is the best method of child nutrition in these critical times.

The field officer stressed that the method is sustainable, cost-effective, and zero-waste as it does involve packaging, no pollution, but just pure nourishment from mother to child—even in emergencies. 

Mrs. Chiluwe who also applauded all the mothers in the State, and across the country for breastfeeding their babies, intimated that over 90% of Nigerian mothers breastfeed their babies.

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She advocated that both public and private sectors to give compulsory maternity leave to new mothers and support them with six-month paid maternity leave.

“UNICEF, alongside the Government of Nigeria and our partners, is calling for bold, coordinated action to train every frontline health worker with hands-on breastfeeding support skills especially at birth. 

“Let us invest in community health workers to deliver breastfeeding support where it matters most — at the home — we need to equip our hardworking community workers with the skills to address socio-cultural barriers to exclusive breastfeeding like the practice of giving water to a child under six months . 

“As enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, let us walk the talk and make six months paid maternity leave a reality – not just in policy but in practice. 

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“In addition, let us make workplaces breastfeeding friendly — all we require is 10 square metres of space to create safe and hygienic lactation spaces, is that too much to ask”, Mrs. Chiluwe stated. 

On his part, Chief Medical Director, Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Stephen Hwande,  thanked UNICEF for coming to launch this year’s Worid Breastfeeding Week at the Teaching Hospital to encourage health workers and encouraging them to support every child who is born to be put to the breast immediately. 

He disclosed that birth rates at the BSUTH has astronomically increased from 20 to 200 per month as a result of moderate child delivery fee which now stance at N5,000 only.

Hwande explained that apart from reducing the child delivery fee to affordable rate, the University Teaching Hospital has opened a Center for children with special needs especially for those children who are unable to do certain things between six to nine months of birth where they can be treated.

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“We now have established a  therapeutic centre for children with special needs and developmental disorders such as autism, hearing disorder, inability to stand or walk at the right, to turn neck etc”, he said . 

The CMD therefore called on new mothers to prioritise breastfeeding of their children, adding investments in breast milk  will make their shape, intelligent and enhance their well beings.

Responding the Executive Secretary, Benue State Primary Healthcare  Board, Mrs. Grace Wende, said the theme for 2025 “PRIORITIZE BREASTFEEDING: CREATING SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS,” resonates deeply with relevant stakeholders commitment to promoting the health and well-being of the Benue populace especially mothers and children. 

The  director of medical services state ministry of health, Joshua Agbadu and mother club focal point, Nigeria Red Cross,Hemba Agatha, all commended UNICEF for their numerous intervention particularly in the area of  health in the State and promised to support activities that will enhance breastfeeding amongst nursing mothers in the State.

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