Exclusive Breastfeeding: Bauchi First Lady Advocates Unconditional Support For Mothers
Representative of the First Lady and State Commissioner of Health Dr Adamu Sambo, during the inauguration of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week held in Bauchi. Photo: Murtala Muhammad
By Murtala Muhammad
Wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed has appealed to husbands across the state to unconditionally support their wives to exclusively breastfeed their babies for the first six months to make their brains grow healthy.
Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed who made the appeal in Bauchi at the commenced of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week, with the theme “Closing the Gap; Breastfeeding Support For All” held in Bauchi, said studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding improves the mother and child’s health.
The Wife of the Governor, represented by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adamu Sambo emphasized the need for husbands, grand mothers and in-laws to support pregnant women to attend antenatal care, deliver in the healthcare facility and ensure full immunization for babies.
The Executive Chairman, State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed called on parents to avoid harmful sociocultural practices and embrace early initiation, six months exclusive breastfeeding and continuous feeding to twenty four months.
Dr Mohammed appreciated Alive and Thrive Fhi360, funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID Advancing Nutrition, UNICEF, WHO and other implementing partners for their support to the state government in actualising the inauguration of this year’s World Breastfeeding Week.
In a goodwill message, the State Coordinator, Alive and Thrive Fhi360, Mr. Chidi Asimobi emphasized that breast milk was a precious natural gift that provide nutritious food for the baby, boost their immunity, while exclusive breastfeeding foster a strong bond between the mother and child.
Mr. Asimobi who said the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2021) rates Bauchi state at 26.4% in exclusive breastfeeding practice, expressed optimism that in subsequent surveys the state would surpass the national target,
In their separate remarks, the Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mrs. Philomena Irene and Dr Yarima Kucici who spoke on behalf of the State Coordinator, World Health Organisation WHO, advocated fully paid six months maternity leave for nursing mothers and two months paid paternity leave for the husbands to support their wives to exclusively breastfeed their newborn.
Some of the nursing mothers, Amira Adamu Abdullahi and Rahina Musa testified their husbands consistently provide them with nutritious food, that aid in the production of enough breast milk for their babies.
UNICEF Nigeria had on the 1st August, supported 30,000 mothers across the 36 states of the country and the FCT who breaks world record by simultaneously breastfeeding their babies.
The mothers who attended the event were given packs of diapers.
