The Federal Government in collaboration with other stakeholders have solicited for more support to promote breastfeeding in the country.
Prof. Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, made the call at the 2024 World breastfeeding week event on Thursday in Abuja.
The world breastfeeding week event is themed, ”Closing the Gap, Breastfeeding Support for All”.
Pate, who was represented by Mrs Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary, stressed the importance of breastfeeding, especially in the first hour of childbirth for the nutritional value of the baby and development.
The minister also emphasised the role breastfeeding plays in averting diseases, during emergencies, as it contains antibodies, and could fight infection.
Also present at the event is Dr Goodness Anyanwu, Programme Manager, Civil Society-Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), reiterated their supports towards improving access to food and nutrition security.
According to the National Demographic and Health Survey 2018 (NDHS 2018), Nigeria’s exclusive breastfeeding rate is 29 per cent, indicating that only a percentage of infants aged 0–6 months are exclusively breastfed.
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