Scientifically, breast milk is the best natural source of food for infants for the first six months of life because it contains all the essential nutrients needed to promote healthy growth and development. Apart from being adequate in quality and quantity for the survival of infants, it contains thousands of bioactive molecules that protect against infection and inflammation by enhancing immunity. Several studies have shown that breastfed infants perform better on intelligence and behaviour tests into adulthood. It improves brain development which leads to better academic performance and greater productivity in later life.
On the other hand, breastfeeding women also reap untold benefits from the practice. It helps reduce the risk of uterine, ovarian and breast cancers. Suckling mothers also tend to eat healthier diets thus cutting the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and incidence of osteoporosis later in life. Human milk contains water, fat, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and immunological factors play vital roles for the well-being of both mother and child.
We are happy that the Federal Ministry of Health under Professor Isaac Adewole seems to be keenly aware of the importance of this practice and has joined 170 other countries in marking the week (August 1-8). The minister put the case for the campaign succinctly at a programme tagged Breastfeeding as the Foundation for Human Building when he said “Optimal breastfeeding practices have proven to have great impact to health, education as well as economic returns to the child, family, community and nation at large.” However, by the national rate of compliance, the minister needs to back his passion with a more sustained advocacy.
In spite of the obvious benefits and years of promotion in the country, Nigeria has one of the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rates in Africa. According to the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) report, only 17 per cent of children are exclusively breastfed in Nigeria. This state of affairs needlessly contributes untold amounts to the heavy health burden of the nation. With one of the fastest population growth rates in the world, the foreign exchange lost on the importation of patently inferior infant milk formulae is another aspect of the demoralising state of affairs.
Health workers should undergo refresher courses on how to improve adoption of exclusive breastfeeding among Nigerian mothers. Working mothers should be encouraged to utilise their maternity leave to ensure that they and their infants benefit. The Federal Government should initiate the process of domesticating Article 183 of the International Labour Organisation which stipulates 18 weeks vacation for nursing mothers. Breastfeeding mothers who must work should also be allowed breast feeding breaks and be provided by creches in their workplaces to avoid exposure and embarrassment. There is also a need to enlist the assistance of religious and traditional rulers in enlightening the mainly ignorant women who shun the practice to their detriment and that of the nation.
Similarly, as the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari pointed out at the launching of the 2016 Lancelot Series High Level Policy Dialogue on Promoting Breastfeeding for National Development, the opportunity to improve the level of breastfeeding in the country needs a collective effort to break down the political, cultural and societal barriers that hinder most Nigerian women from exclusive breastfeeding. According to her, husbands and mothers-in-law need to be familiarised with the benefits so that they can support breastfeeding mothers. In other words, promoting exclusive breastfeeding is the duty of all and to the benefit of everyone. We wish the world a happy and beneficial World Breastfeeding Week 2016.
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