UNICEF tasks women to engage in exclusive breastfeeding in Northeast region

By Yagana Ali, Yola .

The United Nations children fund UNICEF has interacted with stakeholders such as journalists, community leaders and clerics to come up with a modality for exclusive breastfeeding in the northeast of Nigeria.

The Nations News Nigeriareports that the theme is ” closing the gap” breastfeeding support for all, Is aimed at ensuring that every child is breastfeed exclusively for healthy growth.

Addressing participants in Yola, UNICEF nutrition specialist, Philomena Irene said that the meeting is to introduce a new strategy in advocating exclusive breastfeeding for new born babies with massive enlightenment and campaign by journalists in the state.

She noted that the aim of the new drive is to generate new champions of exclusive breastfeeding amongst fathers, who operate mainly in the informal sector, like cobblers, Keke Napep operators, tailors, mechanics etc.

“In order to secure the lives of new born babies, enhance family well-being and ensure healthy motherhood,

Data obtained from the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) indicated low exclusive breastfeeding indices despite huge investments by UNICEF and critical stakeholders to ensure the success of the program.

The MICS report indicated that Adamawa State led in exclusive breastfeeding with 53.3 percent acceptability trailed by Plateau State with 38.6 percent, while Taraba recorded 33.7 percent just as Gombe and Bauchi states recorded 30.7 and 26.4 percent respectively.

In his remark the representative of CAN in Adamawa, David Simon said the Association is encouraging nursing mothers to breastfeed their babies exclusively for a healthy baby and growth.

He also called on those not practicing exclusive breastfeeding to do, which is less costly and beneficial to both baby and mother.

The representative of lamido the district head of nyabongo Abubkar jika said he is a father and three of his children who are now adults benefited from exclusive breastfeeding with less hospital bills or malnourishment.

He therefore called on all community leaders to extend the campaign to their various communities to ensure babies are breastfeed exclusively.

Mall Bashir Tahir who is the assistant secretary of Muslim council in Adamawa said Islam permits exclusive breastfeeding and called on parents to do so .

He said it is beneficial to both the parents economically, when considering the inflation rate in the country, because when babies are breastfeed not buying any baby formula to support the child .